HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Former Members: Security

John Mann: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many former hon. Members have passes to enter the Palace of Westminster.

John Thurso: On 11 January 2012 there were 358 ex-Member passes allowing access to the Palace of Westminster. These figures do not include former Members who are Peers or researchers for Members.

Parliament's Education Service

John Mann: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many schools visited Parliament (a) in total and (b) from Nottinghamshire through the Parliamentary Education Service in 2011.

John Thurso: 946 schools visited Parliament through Parliament's Education Service in 2011, of which 12 were from Nottinghamshire.
	The total number of students visiting Parliament on these visits was 39,972; of these, 371 were from Nottinghamshire.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Birds: Nature Conservation

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to Biodiversity 2020: A Strategy for England's Wildlife and Ecosystem Services, what steps she plans to take to prevent the extinction of breeding bird species in England.

Richard Benyon: ‘Biodiversity 2020’ sets out a wide range of actions over the next decade. The strategy entails a shift in emphasis towards a more effective, more integrated landscape-scale approach to conservation, exemplified by our Nature Improvement Areas initiative. It also commits to the development of a prioritised programme of targeted action for those priority species whose conservation is not delivered through wider habitat measures.
	Work is under way on producing the first delivery plan for the strategy which will set out more detailed actions.

Cod: EU Law

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what steps she is taking to pause the implementation of European Council Regulation 1342/2008;
	(2)  what discussions she has had with the Prime Minister on (a) the implementation of European Council Regulation 1342/2008 and (b) the cod recovery programme;
	(3)  what recent steps have been taken at the European Council on (a) reform of the Common Fisheries Policy and (b) the cod recovery programme;
	(4)  what plans she has to meet with representatives of the fishing sector.

Richard Benyon: The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman), meets regularly with the Prime Minister and updates him and Cabinet Office colleagues on important developments. As UK Fisheries Minister, I worked closely with Fisheries Ministers for Northern Ireland and Scotland to resolve the issues concerning implementation of the European Council Regulation 1342/2008, also known as the cod recovery plan.
	I continue to meet and have discussions about (a) reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and (b) improvements to the cod recovery plan with a wide range of people and organisations. They include the EU Commission, Members of the UK and European Parliaments, ministerial colleagues of other member states and representatives of our fishing and related industries.
	I met representatives of the Northern Ireland fisheries industry on 9 December 2011 and continued to meet with representatives from across the UK in the lead up to and during the annual fisheries negotiations at the December EU Fisheries Council, and my officials maintained close contact with industry representatives as discussions developed.
	We have serious concerns about the way the cod recovery plan operates in practice and we have called for the existing plan to be revised as soon as possible. In the meantime UK fishermen were facing devastating reductions to the amount of time they could spend at sea catching their quota under this plan. The threatened reductions not only put in jeopardy the livelihoods of UK fishermen but would have also led to increased discards.
	However, following three weeks of protracted discussions culminating in two days of intense negotiations, the Government successfully convinced the EU Commission that the UK approach to conservation was the right way forward. Fishermen in all affected member states will still face an expected reduction in the amount of time they are allowed to fish, but this concession from the Commission will allow the UK to develop more conservation measures and provide incentives for fishermen to take them up.
	To ensure the future of cod in our seas, the Government will also build on their work with the fishing industry to adopt further measures to protect cod stocks and reduce discards. During the negotiations at Council, the Government also successfully protected the fishing industry in Northern Ireland by securing the same quota of nephrops as last year.

Giant Hogweed

David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance she has issued to police forces to enable them to enforce section 14(2) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in respect of giant hogweed; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA and the Welsh Assembly Government have published guidance on section 14 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 for enforcement agencies, licensing authorities and other interested parties. The guidance covers all species including giant hogweed, to which section 14 applies, and is available on the DEFRA website at:
	www.defra.gov.uk/publications/files/wildlife-countryside-act.pdf

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Olympic Games 2012

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport which Ministers will attend the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games (a) in an official capacity and (b) as official guests of third parties.

Hugh Robertson: No final decisions have been made as to which Ministers will attend the opening ceremony. Any Minister that does attend the opening ceremony on behalf of Government will do so in an official capacity.
	The Government are committed to publishing information about hospitality received by Ministers from third parties in a ministerial capacity, valued at over £140. For the Department for Culture, Media and Sport this information is published on a quarterly basis on the Department's transparency website:
	http://www.transparency.culture.gov.uk/

Tourism

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will provide funding for an additional traditional pier in Redcar and Cleveland for the purpose of promoting tourism.

John Penrose: No. The development of new piers is a matter for local businesses, working with local authorities and other partners as necessary. The Government do not provide funds specifically for this purpose.

WALES

Departmental Manpower

Peter Hain: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many staff in her private office have left her Department since May 2010; and what the turnover rate was for staff in her private office between May 2010 and May 2011.

Cheryl Gillan: Changes to the private office have occurred primarily as a consequence of steps the Department has taken to provide a more efficient and effective service to Ministers, including merging what were previously two separately staffed private offices and the establishment of a common parliamentary team supporting the Wales Office, Scotland Office and Northern Ireland Office.
	11 members of private office (which includes the correspondence unit and the parliamentary team) have left the Department since May 2010, with a turnover rate of 50% between May 2010 and May 2011.
	Of the staff who have left the Wales Office, four have taken the opportunity for voluntary exit; three returned to the Welsh Government; two had come to the end of their fixed term appointments and two took lateral transfers.

Departmental Manpower

Peter Hain: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the staff turnover rate was in her Department in each of the last five years.

David Jones: The levels of staff turnover are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Turnover rate (%) 
			 2006-07 14 
			 2007-08 26 
			 2008-09 18 
			 2009-10 15 
			 2010-11 23

Iron and Steel

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions she has had with the First Minister of the Welsh Government on the steel industry in Wales; and if she will make a statement.

David Jones: The Secretary of State for Wales, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs Gillan), and I have regular discussions with the First Minister on a range of issues affecting Wales.
	My right hon. Friend met with representatives from the steel industry in Wales with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), in March and held a meeting of her Business Advisory Group at the Tata Plant in Port Talbot in October, and she is due to meet with Tata again later this month. We continue to work closely with industry leaders in Wales to better understand the specific issues affecting the sector and to help ensure the long-term future of the steel industry in Wales.

Mass Media

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions she has had with the First Minister of the Welsh Government on the future of the media in Wales; and if she will make a statement.

David Jones: The Secretary of State for Wales, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs Gillan), has regular meetings with the First Minister to discuss a range of matters affecting Wales media issues.
	I welcome the S4C and BBC Trust's announcement on 25 October 2011, which confirmed their agreement on the details of the partnership announced in the spending review and licence fee settlement. I would like to congratulate both parties for agreeing the details that have protected the editorial and managerial independence of S4C, while safeguarding the accountability of the BBC Trust for the licence fee.
	The Government are also keen to ensure that the public have access to localised media, which is why we announced on 13 December that Cardiff and Swansea will be among the first 20 UK cities to trial the Local TV model, with Bangor and Mold included in a second tranche.
	All media platforms in Wales, be it newspapers, radio, broadcasting or internet based, are important, which is why we are also undertaking a wide-scale review of the regulatory framework supporting the UK communications sector. The review will focus on establishing ways in which Government can drive growth and innovation in the sector by stripping away unnecessary red tape and removing barriers to growth.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Contracts: General Practitioners

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with the British Medical Association on the devolution of GP work contracts to each of the devolved Administrations.

Chris Grayling: There have been no discussions between DWP and the British Medical Association on the devolution of GP work contracts to each of the devolved Administrations.

Contracts: General Practitioners

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has for the devolution of GP work contracts to each of the devolved Administrations.

Chris Grayling: DWP has no plans in relation to the devolution of GP work contracts to each of the devolved Administrations.

Contracts: General Practitioners

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the current system of negotiating GP work contracts.

Chris Grayling: DWP has not made any assessment of the current system of negotiating GP work contracts.

Contracts: General Practitioners

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with the devolved Administrations on GP work contracts.

Chris Grayling: DWP has not had any discussions with the devolved Administrations on GP work contracts.

Remploy: Social Enterprises

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what consideration he has given to enabling individual Remploy factories to establish their own bank account for the purposes of trading as social enterprises; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the potential development of a social enterprise model for Remploy factories; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what steps he has taken to assist Remploy factories to identify social enterprise opportunities; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: The Government consultation on the recommendations of the Sayce report, which included recommendations on the future strategy for Remploy, closed on 17 October 2011. Over 1,400 responses were received and it is taking time to analyse the consultation responses in detail and carefully consider the implications for future policy. During its consultation period a range of work is being done to consider the future for Remploy. We will publish a summary of responses received and a statement on future policy as soon as practicably possible. Until a decision is made, consideration will not been given to the detail of any arrangements that may need to be made, for example enabling factories to establish their own bank accounts for the purpose of trading. Prior to the consultation consideration has been given to The Social Enterprise Model.

Remploy: Social Enterprises

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what processes he expects Remploy factories to follow in employing additional staff to fulfil a new contract; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Miller: To secure additional staff to fulfil a new contract, Remploy are required to request approval, from the Department for Work and Pensions to recruit externally. This is in line with the cross-Government external recruitment freeze arrangements.
	In considering the request, the Department for Work and Pensions considers the merits of the case for recruitment including whether failure to recruit would seriously affect Remploy's customer service, performance or reputation. All requests are considered on the merit of each case.

Social Security Benefits: Cardiff

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of recipients of (a) disability living allowance, (b) employment and support allowance and (c) incapacity benefit in Cardiff West constituency whose claims have been refused have taken their case to tribunal since January 2011.

Maria Miller: We are unable to provide information of recipients on disability living allowance (DLA) in Cardiff West constituency whose claims have been refused and taken their case to tribunal. This is because we do not routinely report this level of detail and to obtain this would be at disproportionate cost to the Department.
	Data on outcomes of assessments for employment and support allowance (ESA) is not available for the Cardiff West parliamentary constituency. However data is available for the Cardiff unitary authority area. Between January 2011 and May 2011 (the latest data available) there were approximately 6,100 people from the Cardiff unitary authority area who underwent an initial work capability assessment (WCA) for ESA. Of these approximately 3,800, or 62%, were assessed as being fit for work and therefore not eligible for ESA.
	The equivalent information for incapacity benefit (IB) is not available since IB was replaced by ESA in October 2008 and any new claims received after this date were directed to claim ESA instead.
	Data on the assessment outcomes of the incapacity benefits reassessment programme is not available. Due to the overall length of the incapacity benefits reassessment process, information on the process including the final outcomes is not yet available. Individual level data are being collected and the Department plans to publish data on the outcomes of the reassessment process once it has been fully quality assured.
	Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS), who administer social security appeals do not hold any data specific to the Cardiff West constituency, but the majority of DLA, ESA and IB appeals made by people in the Cardiff West constituency are heard in the hearing venue in Cardiff, although this venue also hears appeals from other nearby locations.
	The following table shows the number of appeals received in the Cardiff Tribunal venue for DLA, ESA, ESA (IB Reassessment) and IB from January 2011 to October 2011. The tribunal does not record the issue under appeal and, therefore, cannot isolate data relating to appeals on the basis of a claim for benefit having been refused.
	Note that the figures in the following table cannot be used in combination with the figures on ESA provided above, since they relate to a different time period and do not cover claims from the same geographical area.
	
		
			 Appeal type Number of cases received in HMCTS Cardiff venue January 2011  to  October 2011 
			 DLA 1,400 
			 ESA 4,100 
			 ESA (IB Reassessment) 120 
			 IB 700 
			 All appeals 7,700 
			 Notes: 1. The Department regularly publishes data on ESA and WCA the latest publication can be found on the departmental website, here: http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/index.php?page=esa_wca 2. Data on ESA assessments and outcomes are taken from administrative data held by the Department for Work and Pensions and assessment data provided by Atos Healthcare. 3. Appeals data are taken from HMCTS management information. 4. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 100 and percentages to the nearest percentage point.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Council Tax: Arrears

Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he plans to take to support vulnerable people who are in council tax arrears.

Grant Shapps: Further to my answer to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Austin Mitchell), today (PQ 73962), and my answer to my hon. Friend today (PQ 76266), I intend to develop guidance to local authorities on the support they should be giving vulnerable people who are in council tax arrears—something which the last Administration failed to deliver.
	Clearly, councils have an obligation to their local residents to collect council tax, as every penny of uncollected council tax effectively increases the tax burden on the law-abiding local residents who do pay their bills on time. Yet councils equally need to show compassion towards the vulnerable and recognise individual cases of hardship.
	The use of bailiffs should also be a last resort, they should not be commissioned disproportionately and councils should take direct responsibility for ensuring they abide by acceptable practices.
	I will now review this matter and report back to the House in due course.

Council Tax: Arrears

Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance his Department provides to local authorities on the recovery of council tax arrears.

Grant Shapps: In 1993, when council tax was being introduced, the Department of the Environment published Council Tax Practice Note Number 9 on recovery and enforcement, this is primarily technical guidance on prevailing legislation. It recommended that councils draw up a code of practice on the use of bailiffs. I am placing a copy in the Library of the House, as the document is not available online.
	From time to time, my Department also publishes Council Tax Information Letters, providing technical updates relating to the administration of council tax. The last letter which touched on these issues was in 2009. These letters are available at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/localgovernment/localgovernmentfinance/counciltax/informationletters/
	In 2004, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister published “Council Tax Collection Good Practice Report”, an operational research report aiming to collate sources and information on good practice for activities that contribute to council tax collection. This can be found online at:
	http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20081205143343/http://www.local.odpm.gov.uk/finance/ctax/goodprac.pdf
	I would add that in June 2009, the Citizens Advice Bureau and the Local Government Association published a “Collection of council tax arrears good practice protocol”.
	http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/pdf-ct-protocol.pdf
	In July 2009, the last Administration published “A Better deal for Consumers: Delivering Real Help now and Change for the Future” (Cm 7669). It stated:
	“We are considering the need to produce a new guidance document as an agreed statement of good collection practice for councils.”
	No such guidance was issued.

Government Procurement Card

Guy Opperman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will list each spending transaction on a Government Procurement Card made by officials in his Department since April 2006; and if he will provide for each transaction the (a) amount, (b) supplier and (c) date.

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will publish details of expenditure below £500 by his Department on Government Procurement Cards.

Bob Neill: The details of every individual Government Procurement Card transaction from April 2006 until October 2011 have been deposited in the Library of the House. These include the (a) amount, (b) supplier, (c) date and (d) merchant category.
	‘Merchant category’ is a broad description employed by the card issuing company to designate the business where the card was used not the type of product purchased. These spending data include updated figures for 2006-07 and 2007-08 from those given in an earlier reply, which understated the total level of spend due to a coding discrepancy in the data extraction.
	My Department has put a series of checks and balances to protect taxpayers' money, following the recommendations made by Sir Philip Green's report into Government efficiency. Steps include:
	Routinely publishing all spending over £500 each month, as part our transparency agenda.
	Cutting the number of card holders from 210 in May 2010 to just 33 in October 2011.
	Taking steps to cancel the cash withdrawal facility on the card (apart from two business continuity users).
	Introducing new internal checks and audit trails, from pre-approvals to requiring post-transaction reporting.
	As a result of these changes, monthly expenditure on these cards has reduced by three-quarters, from an average of £27,000 a month over the last two years, to an average of just £6,400 a month. I would encourage local authority users of the cards to take similar steps to help generate savings for their taxpayers.
	I also refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 13 October 2011, Official Report, columns 483-84W, which provides all the transaction data from April 2004 to April 2006 under the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Homelessness: Offenders

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to reduce levels of (a) homelessness and (b) housing instability among former prisoners with mental health problems;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of homelessness and housing instability arising from former prisoners with mental health problems in 2010-11; and what estimate he has made of the likely cost in 2012-13.

Grant Shapps: This Government are committed to tackling homelessness and has established a ministerial working group to tackle the complex underlying problems, including the link between homelessness, offending and mental health. We have already included clear statements on homelessness in the Offender Rehabilitation Green Paper(1) and the Drugs(2) and Mental Health Strategies(3).
	In addition, the Ministerial Working Group on Homelessness' first report(4) includes a commitment to publish a more comprehensive expectations and guidance for prisons and for probation trusts on how to assist offenders to access stable housing. It also highlights the role of specialist services in treating homeless people, including those with a dual diagnosis of co-existing mental health problems and encouraging closer working between criminal justice agencies and homelessness organisations.
	You may be aware that I recently announced a further £20 million funding for local authorities to prevent single homelessness and help them ensure that nobody is turned away without clear and useful advice when they are most in need. This is on top of the existing £400 million Government investment to prevent homelessness over the next four years and £12.25 million provided to Crisis to help single homeless people access stable accommodation in the private rented sector, with ex-offenders a priority group.
	The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) recognises the significant costs to public services that results from homelessness and rough sleeping. For example, research commissioned by DCLG estimated that without housing support services, offenders, people at risk of offending and mentally disordered offenders would cost an additional £1,459 per household unit per annum from experiencing homelessness(5). We have secured £6.5 billion investment for Supporting People over the four years of the spending review which will protect the preventative services that help the most vulnerable live independently and retain their tenancies.
	DCLG has not made any estimate on the cost to the public purse of homelessness and housing instability arising from former prisoners with mental health problems in 2010-11 or likely cost in 2011-12.
	(1) Breaking the Cycle: Effective Punishment, Rehabilitation and Sentencing of Offenders, 2010
	(2) Drug Strategy 2010, Reducing demand, restricting supply, building recovery: supporting people to live a drug-free life
	(3) No Health Without Mental Health, 2011
	(4) Vision to end Rough Sleeping; No Second Night Out
	(5) DCLG (2009) Research into the financial benefits of the Supporting People programme, 2009

Population

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance is offered by his Department to local authorities on estimating their population growth.

Bob Neill: No such guidance is given. Population statistics are published by the Office for National Statistics.

TREASURY

Civil Servants: Pensions

John McDonnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to page 17, Box 3.B case study 1 of Public service pensions: good pensions that last, Cm 8214, what the old scheme calculation in this example would be using the (a) Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme classic scheme, (b) PCSPS premium scheme and (c) NUVOS Scheme.

Danny Alexander: holding answer 25 November 2011
	On 2 November 2011, the Government published ‘Public service pensions: good pensions that last’, Cm8214, which includes several case studies that provide illustrative examples of the impact of the Government's preferred pension scheme design. These case studies were prepared for HMT Treasury by Hyman Robertson LLP using IFS data and HM Treasury assumptions.
	HM Treasury has not made an assessment of what the old scheme calculation would be in the example of Case Study 1 using the PCSPS premium scheme or the NUVOS scheme.

Members: Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will arrange for the hon. Member for Walsall North to receive a reply to his letter of 22 November 2011 to the Child Benefit Office about a constituent.

David Gauke: Child Benefit Office replied to a letter from the hon. Member dated 22 November 2011 on 16 December 2011.

Stamp Duty Land Tax: Tax Avoidance

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department is taking to reduce avoidance of stamp duty land tax.

David Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will challenge all use of stamp duty land tax (SDLT) avoidance schemes, through the courts if necessary. All users of these schemes can expect to pay the full amount of SDLT due, plus interest, in due course.
	HMRC has analysed a wide range of avoidance schemes. This analysis has not shown that the schemes are effective in reducing SDLT liability, either because they reflect an incorrect understanding of the law or because they are caught by targeted anti-avoidance rules..
	HMRC will open an inquiry into an SDLT return in all cases where use of such a scheme is notified under the disclosure of tax avoidance schemes (DOTAS) rules. HMRC also compares transactions reported to the Land Registry against SDLT returns received. Where there is a discrepancy, HMRC will open an enquiry into the return, or issue an assessment of the SDLT due if no return has been received.
	Recent Finance Acts have included a number of measures to put beyond doubt that particular avoidance schemes are ineffective. The draft 2012 Finance Bill, published on 6 December 2011, includes a measure to expand the scope of the DOTAS rules.

Taxation: Inheritance Tax and Capital Gains Tax

John Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how much revenue has been raised in inheritance tax from Scottish estates in each year since 1998;
	(2)  how much has been claimed in business relief from inheritance tax in each year since 1986;
	(3)  how much was claimed in forgiveness of capital gains tax at death in each of the last five years;
	(4)  how much was claimed in spouse or civil partner exemption on gifts paid over a lifetime in each of the last five years;
	(5)  how much was paid in capital transfer tax in each year between 1982 and 1986.

David Gauke: Receipts of inheritance tax since 1998 are published in the Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland publications published on the Scottish Government's website:
	http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Economy/GERS/Publications
	The amounts of assets which are relieved from inheritance tax due to business property relief for estates over the inheritance tax threshold for 2004-05 to 2008-09 are published in National Statistics table 12.2 available from the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/inheritance_tax/table12-2.xls
	Based on this table the amount of assets relieved since 1986-87 are given in the following table.
	
		
			  Relief set against assets (£ million) 
			 1986-87 28 
			 1987-88 38 
			 1988-89 37 
			 1989-90 45 
			 1990-91 35 
			 1991-92 40 
			 1992-93 96 
			 1993-94 97 
			 1994-95 113 
			 1995-96 137 
			 1996-97 150 
			 1997-98 129 
			 1998-99 177 
			 1999-2000 353 
			 2000-01 183 
			 2001-02 240 
			 2002-03 332 
			 2003-04 227 
			 2004-05 252 
			 2005-06 295 
			 2006-07 341 
			 2007-08 460 
			 2008-09 409 
		
	
	In addition, an estimate of the cost of business property relief is published by HMRC in Table 1.5 Main Tax Expenditures and Structural Reliefs available from the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax_expenditures/table1-5.xls
	An estimate of the cost of the exemption for capital gains tax accrued but unrealised at death is published by HMRC in Table 1.5 Main Tax Expenditures and Structural Reliefs available from the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax_expenditures/table1-5.xls
	Estimates of the historical costs of this relief are not available.
	The information on spouse or civil partner relief on lifetime gifts is not available as these gifts do not need to be recorded on the inheritance tax return.
	Receipts from capital transfer tax for the period 1982 to 1986 are published in archived Table 1.2 Annual Receipts of former Inland Revenue Taxes available from the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax_receipts/1_2_v2_dec05.xls

Taxation: Switzerland

Owen Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the likelihood of the yield from the UK-Switzerland tax agreement of 24 August 2011 being at the upper end of the estimated range.

David Gauke: The current forecast for the yield from the UK-Switzerland tax agreement is expected to be in the range £4 billion to £7 billion.
	A range has been used in estimating the expected revenue to reflect the degree of uncertainty around the estimates. No estimate has been made within HMRC as to where within the range we would expect the actual yield to lie.
	However, the Swiss banks will make an upfront payment of CHF 500 million at the outset of the arrangement, which supports the expectation that the revenue generated from the agreement will be significant.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Borders: Personal Records

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions officials in her Department have had with the Royal Yachting Association on the e-Borders programme.

Damian Green: Officials from the UK Border Agency last met with the Royal Yachting Association on 2 December 2011, to discuss and share progress on the e-Borders programme.
	The UK Border Agency is working closely with the maritime community to strengthen the maritime border by building a way to electronically receive passenger and crew data on international journeys. This will maximise the UK Border Agency's intake of intelligence, optimise the use of resources and ensure the UK Border Agency is able to make effective, high value interventions on those who would seek to do harm to the UK.

British Nationality

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will bring forward legislative proposals to revoke the British citizenship of naturalised British citizens convicted of (a) treason and (b) acts of terrorism.

Damian Green: There is already provision in the British Nationality Act 1981 (section 40 as amended) to deprive British citizens of their citizenship where the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), is satisfied that to do so is conducive to the public good. The Act was amended in 2006 and statements were made to Parliament at the time explaining that the power would be available for use in cases including those involving national security and extremism.

Co-operatives

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps (a) her Department and (b) those bodies for which her Department is responsible are taking to mark UN Year of the Co-operative 2012; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: Departments will work closely with Cabinet Office, the Mutuals Taskforce and with Co-operatives UK to develop and take full advantage of opportunities to celebrate the achievements of co-operative organisations during the United Nations International Year of Co-operatives.
	The Mutuals Taskforce has recently indicated it will play a co-ordinating role for Departments to support the International Year of Co-operatives, with Co-operatives UK leading the Taskforce's work in this area.

Departmental Audit

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria (a) her Department and (b) its public bodies use when deciding whether and when to hold an internal audit; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: The Home Office criteria for deciding on which internal audits to conduct are in line with Government Internal Audit Standards. These state that the Chief Internal Auditor must establish risk based plans. Development of these risk-based plans takes account of the Home Office corporate risk profile, assurance framework and forward business plans. They also reflect input from the Accounting Officer, Audit and Risk Assurance Committee members, Management Board members and previous audit activity and findings. A number of lower level reviews are also considered to ensure the completeness of the overall annual opinion.
	Delivery is based on audit resource approved by the Accounting Officer and Audit and Risk Assurance Committee. Internal audit work is based upon a cyclical planning horizon which can be amended if the risk profile changes in year. The plan, and individual reviews contained within it, require approval from the Accounting Officer and Audit and Risk Assurance Committee and are subject to quarterly review to ensure the continued relevance of the plan and best use of resources. Individual reviews are prioritised on criticality to the Accounting Officer and any changes to the plan are agreed by the Chief Internal Auditor, the Accounting Officer and Chair of the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee. A small number of audit days are allocated for consultancy, advice and contingency work.

Detention Centres: Females

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women detained for immigration purposes were subsequently (a) deported and (b) released in the last six months of 2011; and how many such women had been detained for more than (i) three months, (ii) six months, (iii) one year and (iv) two years.

Damian Green: The following table shows the latest published figures on the number of women leaving detention, held solely under Immigration Act powers in immigration removal centres or short term holding facilities in Q3 2011, by reason and length of detention.
	
		
			 Females leaving detention by reason and length of detention, Q3 2011 
			  Total female detainees Removed from the UK Granted leave to enter/remain Granted temporary admission/release Bailed Other 
			 Total females 1,123 714 8 322 67 12 
			        
			 Length of detention       
			 Less than 3 months 1,055 673 8 307 56 11 
			 3 months to less than 6 months 47 33 0 10 4 0 
			 6 months to less than 12 months 18 6 0 5 6 1 
			 12 months to less than 24 months 1 1 0 0 0 0 
			 24 months or more 2 1 0 0 1 0 
			 Notes: 1. Data are provisional. 2. All people held are detained in the United Kingdom solely under Immigration Act powers and exclude those in police cells, Prison Service establishments, short-term holding rooms at ports and airports (for less than 24 hours), and those recorded as detained under both criminal and immigration powers and their dependants. 3. Figures include dependants. 4. Relates to most recent period of sole detention. The period of detention starts when a person first enters the UK Border Agency estate. If the person is then moved from a removal centre to a police cell or Prison Service establishment, this period of stay will be included if the detention is solely under Immigration Act powers. 
		
	
	The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual statistics on the number of women leaving detention, solely under Immigration Act powers. Q4 2011 detention figures will be published on 23 February 2012 and will be available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Science, research and statistics webpages at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/science-research/research-statistics/migration/migration-statistics1/
	Detention is a necessary part of the process to remove some individuals with no right to be in the UK. We always seek to remove those with no right to be here as quickly as possible but if detainees give false or incomplete information or submits spurious last minute appeals, then in such cases, it can delay their return and extend their detention.

Detention Centres: Females

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when gender equality impact assessments for all immigration removal centres and short-term holding facilities will be completed.

Damian Green: Gender equality impact assessments for immigration removal centres and short-term holding facilities where women are held will be completed by summer 2012.

Disability: Candidates

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of progress in establishing a Democracy Diversity Fund to support disabled people who are parliamentary candidates as recommended in the Final Report of the Speaker's Conference on Parliamentary Representation; and if she will make a statement.

Lynne Featherstone: holding answer 12 January 2012
	This recommendation is being taken forward through the development of the Access to Elected Office for Disabled People Strategy. Last year, the Government held a public consultation which sought views on a range of policy proposals designed to provide additional support for disabled candidates applying for elected office to help them overcome disability related barriers.
	The Government published their response in September 2011. Following the results of that consultation we are now working with political, disability and other stakeholders to take forward five proposals. These are: (i) setting up a dedicated fund to help individual candidates with disability related costs; (ii) new training and development opportunities; (iii) Raising awareness; (iv) guidance for political parties on fulfilling their legal obligations under the Equality Act; and (v) working with political parties to share and promote good practice on disability support.

Drugs: Law and Order

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions officials in her Department have had with law enforcement agencies in other countries on co-operation on drug profiling.

James Brokenshire: Home Office officials have dialogue with officials and law enforcement agencies in other countries where that facilitates closer co-operation in countering narcotics, which may include drugs profiling. Within the EU, this co-operation is facilitated by a Joint Action (a form of EU legislative instrument) concerning the exchange of information on the chemical profiling of drugs, in order to facilitate improved co-operation between member states in combating illicit drug trafficking.

Entry Clearances: China

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for tourist visas by Chinese nationals were (a) granted and (b) refused in the last year for which figures are available.

Damian Green: The table sets out the number of applications for tourist visas made by Chinese nationals that have been issued and refused from 1 October 2010 to 30 September 2011.
	We are unable to provide information for a period that goes beyond the period covered by our published statistics. This information presents the latest statistics available on visa decisions.
	
		
			 Nati onality: Chinese 
			  Number 
			 Issued 65,885 
			 Refused 4,598

Forensic Science: Law and Order

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions officials in her Department have had with law enforcement agencies in other countries on co-operation on forensic science.

James Brokenshire: Home Office officials have regular contact and collaboration with the following groups/countries, primarily in relation to fingerprint research and development but also on other areas of forensic science:
	Germany—Bundeskriminalamt (BKA)
	Italy—Carabinieri
	Canada—Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)
	Israel—Israeli National Police Force
	USA—Department of Homeland Security, Secret Service, National Institute of Justice
	Netherlands—Netherlands Forensic Institute
	Australia—Australian Federal Police.
	Malaysian officials have made a VIP visit to the Home Office Centre for Applied Science and Technology but this has not yet led to any further collaboration.
	Home Office officials also have contact with law enforcement agencies through a number of groups such as International Fingerprint Research Group (IFRG), European Network of Forensic Science Institutes (ENFSI), Facial Identification Scientific Working Group (FISWG) and Scientific Working Group for Imaging Technology (SWGIT).
	Home Office have met representatives of the Abu Dhabi police to discuss the delivery of an existing FSS contract following the Government decision to wind down the Forensic Science Service.
	Home Office officials have additionally been involved in a series of discussions with the EU institutions and key EU policing agencies on a vision of future forensic science and on the development of forensic science infrastructures in Europe.
	Although not a Home Office official, the Forensic Science Regulator has liaised with organisations from a number of countries in developing quality standards in forensics including the Republic of Ireland, Australia, USA, European countries through the ENFSI Board as well as the devolved Administrations in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Heroin

Gordon Birtwistle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many doctors have a licence from her Department to prescribe heroin for the treatment of drug addiction.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 10 January 2012
	The Home Office does not licence the prescription of heroin for the treatment of addiction. Licenses to prescribe diamorphine for the treatment of addiction are issued by the Home Office; a total of 18 licences were issued to individual doctors in 2011.

Immigration Controls

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many staff not cleared to SC level and deployed to work on border controls had access to the Warning Index on 30 November 2011;
	(2)  how many non-UK Border Agency employees who were re-deployed to cover the work of staff involved in industrial action on 29 and 30 November 2011 were not cleared to SC level; how many of these had applied for SC level clearance in advance of the training; and how many of these applications were processed.

Damian Green: holding answer 13 December 2011
	All staff who were trained and deployed to ports and airports during the period of industrial action 29 and 30 November 2011 carried the appropriate level of security clearance that allowed them to operate safe and effective border checks. SC level is required only where staff need to have regular access to ‘Secret’ and ‘Top Secret’ assets. An appropriate security regime was in place on 30 November 2011, taking into account the risks being managed in ensuring border security on the day.

Immigration: Employment

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to revise documents sent to people granted leave to remain to place more emphasis on employment opportunities.

Damian Green: There are no plans to revise these documents. The documents are specific in advising an individual about their conditions of leave in terms of employment.

Olympic Games 2012 : Security

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff will be employed on security for the duration of the London 2012 Olympic Games from (a) private security contractors, (b) the Metropolitan police, (c) other police forces and (d) the armed services.

James Brokenshire: Up to 23,700 personnel will be deployed on venue security roles during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The majority will be private security staff provided by G4S. These contractors will be supported by military personnel and volunteers recruited by the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG). Together, they will help protect more than 100 competition and non-competition venues across the United Kingdom. All roles will be performed by people who are appropriately trained and qualified.
	It is estimated that around 12,000 police officers will be deployed on Games-specific duties across the UK on peak days, including up to 9,000 in London alone. These will be a mixture of local officers and officers supplied through mutual aid, though the exact composition for each local area is still to be determined.
	In total, up to 13,500 armed forces personnel will be deployed on Games security duties. This includes military support to the LOCOG venue security operation: 3,500 personnel throughout the Games period, rising to 7,500 personnel during the Olympic Games. Military personnel will also provide a range of specialist and other support to the police, and a reserve force in case of emergency.

Olympic Games 2012 : Security

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what requirements have been placed on private security companies that have won contracts to provide security at the London 2012 Olympic Games to recruit staff from (a) Newham and (b) other Olympic boroughs in London.

James Brokenshire: The London 2012 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) appointed G4S as its Official Security Services Provider in March 2011. As with all its main contractors, LOCOG's Employment and Skills Charter formed a central part of the procurement process. This included its target to recruit 15-20% of its Games work force from residents of the six host boroughs.
	LOCOG are now working with G4S on how to contribute to this target. As a result, G4S is running daily recruitment events in Newham, at West Ham football club. Another centre will open in Stratford in the coming weeks. A series of recruitment events from LOCOG contractors are taking place across the host boroughs with partners such as the job brokerages, Jobcentre Plus, FE colleges and community groups such as The East London Communities Organisation (TELCO). Already more than 70 such events have taken place, with more to follow.
	Six months before the Games, LOCOG is achieving its overall target—with 20.4% of its work force resident in the host boroughs.

Police: Accountability

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she plans to take to ensure awareness of the method of election for police commissioners.

Nick Herbert: The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 gives the Electoral Commission a statutory duty to raise awareness of these elections, including how to vote in them, as it currently does for all UK elections. The Government are working closely with the Commission on this.

Terrorism

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the role of Dart-MS technology in terrorism prevention and investigation.

James Brokenshire: There has been some work undertaken within Government laboratories into the potential of the Direct Analysis in Real Time Mass Spectrometry (DART-MS) technique in support of forensic work, such as the rapid identification of explosives. Initial studies were undertaken in 2005 but the technique was not sufficiently advanced at that stage. Further work (funded by the Home Office) is planned for 2012 into DART-MS and a number of related direct analysis techniques. This would give a detailed assessment of the value of the technique for counter-terrorism work.

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Child Care

Thomas Docherty: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what assessment she has made of the effect of Government policies on access to child care for women.

Maria Miller: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
	Providing help with the costs of formal child care, and improving access, continues to be at the forefront of our policies to help children get the best start in life and to ensure that parents can balance work and family commitments.
	The Government spend £2 billion on formal child care support within the current tax credit and benefit systems and it has committed an additional £300 million under universal credit.

Domestic Violence

Sarah Newton: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what recent representations she has received on male victims of domestic violence.

Lynne Featherstone: I met with my hon. Friend and the charity Esteem, which provides services to male victims of domestic violence in Cornwall, in October last year. I will be visiting the Men's Advice Line shortly.
	In December, I announced funding of £225,000 to support services focusing on male victims of domestic and sexual violence over two years. This is in addition to the funding provided to the helplines: Men's Advice Line and Broken Rainbow.

Flexible Working

Alun Cairns: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what steps she is taking to encourage flexible work arrangements and home working.

Theresa May: We have consulted on proposals to extend the right to request flexible working to all employees, which could include working from home. We will respond to that consultation in due course.
	Jobcentre Plus also support employers in considering how jobs can be advertised on a flexible basis and we are working with businesses to identify what more can be done on a voluntary basis to encourage flexible working opportunities.

Business Enterprise

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what steps she is taking to encourage the participation of women in business enterprise.

Theresa May: It is vital that women are able to fully use their skills in order to support economic growth. That is why we are providing up to £2 million over three years in order to support women setting up or growing their business in rural areas. The Government are also recruiting and training 5,000 mentors to support women setting up or growing their business. The funding will ensure that training and support for both mentor and mentee reflect the specific needs of women.

Apprentices

Robert Halfon: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities how many apprentices are working in the Government Equalities Office.

Lynne Featherstone: As of 1 April 2011, the Government Equalities Office has been part of the Home Office. The Department takes seriously the need to create opportunities for apprenticeships. However, due to the recruitment freeze in the civil service since May 2010, there has been limited opportunity to employ apprentices. One member of staff has been directly recruited as an apprentice to the Home Office before the freeze took effect, and the Equalities and Human Rights Commission has employed three apprentices. We will look to introduce schemes when the freeze ends.

TRANSPORT

High Speed 2

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether she plans to revise the timetable for the publication of the route for High Speed 2 between Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield and Leeds.

Justine Greening: HS2 Ltd will be providing me with advice on route options for Phase 2 of HS2 in March 2012. We will then undertake a process of engagement to inform the selection of a preferred route. The Department's business plan foresees a decision being made by Ministers on the preferred route by December 2014, following consultation. However, we will keep this timetable under review with a view to moving as fast as practicable to ensure we deliver the benefits of the Y network.

Speed Limits

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations her Department has received on the consultation on increasing motorway speed limits.

Michael Penning: The Department has received several hundred items of correspondence about changing motorway speed limits during the last three months.
	The Government announced in October that they intended to consult about increasing the national motorway speed limit for England and Wales. The consultation is planned to start during the next few months.

Crossrail

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations she has received on the financing of the Crossrail project; and if she will make a statement.

Theresa Villiers: Ministers regularly discuss a variety of Crossrail matters, including financing, with senior management at Crossrail Ltd and with the project's co-sponsor, the Mayor of London. The funding package for Crossrail was agreed as part of the spending review, and we expect the project to cost no more than £14.5 billion.

Crossrail Line: Contracts

Margaret Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what account her Department took of the Government's review of procurement in preparing the tender for the Crossrail scheme.

Theresa Villiers: holding answer 10 January 2012
	Crossrail Ltd is delivering the procurement of Crossrail rolling stock and depot on behalf of Rail for London—the future operator of Crossrail services. The co-sponsors of the project, Transport for London and the Department for Transport, have agreed that any relevant conclusions of the Government's review of public procurement will be taken into account in the tender process. As announced in August 2011, we expect the tender documents to be released early this year.

Insurance Companies

Karl McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether Ministers in her Department have had recent meetings with (a) members of the board and (b) senior management at (i) Broker Direct and (ii) Zurich UK.

Norman Baker: Neither the Secretary of State for Transport, the right hon. Member for Putney (Justine Greening), nor any other Ministers in the Department have had any recent meetings with members of the board and/or senior management at Broker Direct or Zurich UK.

Railway Stations: Manpower

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 9 December 2011, Official Report, column 422W, on railway stations: manpower, what discussions (a) she, (b) her predecessor and (c) her officials have had with the Chair of the Rail Value for Money Study on the calculations used to reach the recommendations in the report of the Rail Value for Money Study on (i) ticket office opening hours, (ii) ticket office staffing and (iii) the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement.

Theresa Villiers: holding answer 10 January 2012
	Ministers and officials met with Sir Roy McNulty and his team regularly over the course of the Rail Value for Money Study to discuss a wide range of issues.
	The conclusions of the independent study, together with the detailed supporting material, can be found on the websites of the Department and the Office of Rail Regulation.
	The Department is now considering the findings of the study and will shortly be publishing a Command Paper setting out a strategy for improving the efficiency and performance of the railway network.

Railways: Disability

Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she is taking to improve disabled access at railway stations.

Norman Baker: The Access for All programme will deliver accessible routes to 153 stations before 2015 and a further £7 million a year is available to train operators to use for smaller access enhancements. We have also recently introduced a new Mid-Tier programme worth £37.5 million to fund projects needing up to £1 million of Government support.

Railways: Disability

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions she has had with the Association of Train Operating Companies on eligibility for disabled persons railcards following changes to disability living allowance.

Norman Baker: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) review of social security benefits is still ongoing, and is expected to be completed in 2012. DWP will be introducing personal independence payments (PIP) to replace disability living allowance (DLA) in 2013. Once the new eligibility criteria have been confirmed, ATOC will work with Disability Rights UK, the Department for Transport and other key stakeholders to evaluate the required revisions to the Disabled Person's Railcard eligibility criteria. Implementation will be timed to coincide with the introduction of PIP.

Railways: Disability

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she plans to take to increase access to train services for disabled people (a) nationally and (b) in Coventry.

Norman Baker: The information is as follows.
	(a) We are committed to improving access to rail stations and we have therefore continued the previous Government's Access for All programme, which will deliver accessible routes to 153 stations before 2015. £7 million a year is available for smaller access enhancements and a new Mid-Tier programme worth £37.5 million was recently introduced.
	(b) All three stations in Coventry (Canley, Coventry and Tile Hill) have step-free access.

Stratford International Station

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what works are required to enable Stratford International Station to receive international trains; and what the cost is of such works.

Theresa Villiers: holding answer 10 January 2012
	The outer two platforms of Stratford International Station are already designed to take international trains.
	The main work required to commence an international service would be the provision of border control and security facilities, along with ticket office fit-out and gate lines for the train operator and associated telecommunications and IT.
	Although no detailed costings have been undertaken, it is estimated that the total value of work should not exceed £2 million.

JUSTICE

Approved Premises: Females

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many probation trusts have approved premises for female offenders.

Crispin Blunt: Six probation trust areas have approved premises for female offenders. Three are operated by the trusts themselves and three by independent bodies.

Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1992

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what guidance he has provided to (a) local authorities and (b) magistrates' courts on assessing costs reasonably incurred under the Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1992; whether local authorities are permitted to accrue revenue from such costs; and if he will make a statement.

Grant Shapps: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Communities and Local Government.
	The Ministry of Justice and the Department for Communities and Local Government have issued no guidance to (a) local authorities and (b) magistrates courts on assessing costs reasonably incurred under the Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1992. What is reasonable in a particular case is a matter for the magistrates court to determine following submissions by the billing authority.
	Schedule 5 to the Regulations sets out the sums an authority may charge where goods are seized to satisfy a council tax liability order. An authority may only charge the amounts stated in that Schedule, which may be a fixed amount or be limited to the reasonable costs and fees incurred, depending upon the matter in relation to which costs are incurred.
	If a taxpayer believes charges made under Schedule 5 are incorrect, he should, in the first instance, contact the local authority or the Local Government Ombudsman.
	There may also be scope for the district auditor to consider whether the local authority has proper arrangements in place to review, approve and pay bailiff fees, if complaints are brought to its attention.
	I also note the 1993 Department of the Environment Council Tax Practice Note 9 states that:
	“while it is likely that authorities will have discussed a scale of fees with the Clerk to Justices it should be recognised that the Court may wish to be satisfied that the amount claimed by way of costs in any individual case is no more than that reasonably incurred by the authority” (p. 8).
	I have placed a copy in the Library of the House.
	I am aware of recent press reports that suggest (a) some local authorities are over-charging council tax debtors for the issuing of summonses and liability orders, over and above what is reasonable, (b) unacceptable practices by private firms of bailiffs collecting unpaid council tax on councils1 behalf and (c) councils receiving commission payments for the use of bailiffs.
	I also note the concerns raised on 15 September 2011, Official Report, column 1206, by my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow East (Bob Blackman).
	I will now review what action can be taken to address this public concern, and will make a further statement in due course.
	The Government have also committed in the coalition agreement to:
	“provide more protection against aggressive bailiffs and unreasonable charging orders”.

Crime: Victims

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many victims of crime there were in each year between 1997 and 2010.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 19 December 2011
	I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Home Department.
	There are two sources of data collected by the Home Office namely the British Crime Survey (BCS) and the police recorded crime statistics. However, neither source provides a full picture of the extent of crime.
	The available information relates to BCS incidents of crime and the number of offences recorded by the police and is given in tables 2.01 and 2.04 of ‘Crime in England and Wales 2010/11’.

Human Rights: Business

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 15 December 2011, Official Report, columns 862-3W, on Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill 2010-12, whether unnecessary and avoidable international business and human rights claims have progressed to court.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Government do not hold data on the number or detail of such claims, and whether they progress to court or settle.

Legal Opinion

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many defendants dismissed their legal teams during a trial in the Crown court in each year from 2000 to 2011.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Ministry of Justice holds statistical information in relation to the status and changes to the legal representation of a defendant during their trial in the Crown court. However, the central administrative databases for courts do not store information on the reason for changes in legal representative or their legal representation status. As such, the information requested can be obtained only through the manual inspection of individual case files held by the courts at disproportionate cost.
	Statistics are published on the representation status of each defendant England and Wales where it has been recorded, in the Ministry of Justice's statistical bulletin ‘Judicial and Court Statistics’, the most recent edition of which was published on 30 June 2011. The number of defendants and their representation status can be found in table 11.5. The report is available on the Ministry's website at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/statistics-and-data/courts-and-sentencing/judicial-annual.htm

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Apprentices: East Midlands

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  how many (a) men and (b) women enrolled on apprenticeships in (i) information and communication technology and (ii) engineering and manufacturing technology in (A) the East Midlands, (B) Leicester South constituency and (C) Leicester City constituency in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many people aged from 16 to 24 years participated in a modern apprenticeship scheme in (a) the East Midlands and (b) Leicester City in 2010-11.

John Hayes: Table 1 shows the number of apprenticeship starts by gender in information and communication technology, engineering and manufacturing technologies and all sector subject areas in the East Midlands region, Leicester local authority and Leicester South parliamentary constituency, in the 2010/11 academic year, based on provisional data. Data for Leicester local authority have been provided as there is not a parliamentary constituency for Leicester City. Data are based on the home postcode of the learner.
	
		
			 Table 1: Apprenticeship starts by gender and sector subject area in Leicester South parliamentary constituency, Leicester local authority and the East Midlands, 2010/11 (1) 
			  Information and communication technology Engineering and manufacturing technologies All apprenticeships 
			 Leicester South constituency    
			 Female 10 10 340 
			 Male 50 80 380 
			 Total 60 80 710 
			     
			 Leicester local authority    
			 Female 40 20 1,180 
			 Male 120 300 1,210 
			 Total 160 320 2,400 
			     
			 East Midlands region    
			 Female 280 370 22,180 
			 Male 710 4,180 17,200 
			 Total 1,000 4,550 39,380 
			 (1)Provisional data. Notes: 1. All figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Total figures may not add up due to rounding. 2. Geography information is based upon the home postcode of the learner. Source: Individualised Learner Record. 
		
	
	Table 2 shows the number of apprenticeship starts by age in the East Midlands region and Leicester local authority, in the 2010/11 academic year, based on provisional data. Data are based on the home postcode of the learner.
	
		
			 Table 2: Apprenticeship starts by age in Leicester local authority and the East Midlands, 2010/11 (1) 
			  16-24 25+ Total 
			 Leicester local authority 1,280 1,120 2,400 
			 East Midlands region 23,480 15,900 39,380 
			 (1 )Provisional data. Notes: 1. All figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Total figures may not add up due to rounding. 2. Geography information is based upon the home postcode of the learner. 3. Age is based on age at the start of the programme. 4. A small number of learners aged under 16 are included. Source: Individualised Learner Record. 
		
	
	Information on the number of apprenticeship starts is published in a quarterly Statistical First Release (SFR). The latest SFR was published on 27 October 2011:
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_current
	Information on apprenticeship starts by geographic breakdown, gender and sector subject areas are available in the SFR Supplementary Tables:
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_supplementary_tables/Apprenticeship_sfr_supplementary_tables/

Apprentices: East Midlands

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which employers offer modern apprenticeships in (a) the East Midlands and (b) Leicester City.

John Hayes: I have made available in the Libraries of the House tables regarding employers which offer modern apprenticeships in (a) East Midlands and (b) Leicester City. Tables 3a and 3b show a list of all companies offering one or more apprenticeship vacancies as at 21 December 2011 in the East Midlands region and Leicester City ward. Please note December is not a typical month for vacancies.
	Tables 4a and 4b show a list of all of the providers funded for apprenticeships in the East Midlands region and Leicester local authority based on the providers’ postcode.

Apprentices: Industrial Health and Safety

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Peterborough of 29 November 2011, Official Report, column 846W, on apprenticeships, which health and safety requirements he intends to remove.

John Hayes: We have removed all Skills Funding Agency health and safety requirements relating to apprenticeships that go beyond what health and safety legislation requires.

Construction Industry Training Board: Finance

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding his Department allocated to the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; how many full-time equivalent staff worked for the CITB in each such year; and if he will make a statement.

John Hayes: The CITB do not receive any funding from the Department. They raise funds through a levy on employers in the construction industry. The levy depends on the continued consent of employers and is periodically debated in Parliament.
	CITB-Construction Skills is also the sector skills council (SSC) for the construction industry. As an SSC they receive some funding through contract from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills. In 2010-11 Construction Skills received £2,035,292 and in 2011-12 expect to receive £1,902,998. This is the total strategic funding, including sums received for National Occupational Standards and qualifications.
	CITB had 1,389 full-time equivalent staff as at 31 December 2010. The current full-time equivalent staff figure, as at 30 November 2011, is 1,295.

Departmental Apprentices

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  how many apprentices were employed by each public body for which his Department is responsible between (a) April 2010 and March 2011 and (b) April and December 2011; and how many apprenticeships he expects each public body to sponsor between (i) January and March 2012 and (ii) April 2012 and March 2013;
	(2)  how much funding from the public purse has been allocated to sponsor apprenticeships in each of the public bodies for which his Department is responsible between (a) April 2010 and March 2011, (b) April 2011 and March 2012 and (c) April 2012 and March 2013.

John Hayes: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has a large network of partner organisations of different types: executive, advisory and tribunal non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), agencies, public corporations, and non-ministerial departments. Some 80% of the Department's resources pass through these organisations, so they are vital to delivering our objectives.

Employment Tribunals Service

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to ensure that employers and employees are aware of changes to the Employment Tribunal system.

Edward Davey: We will ensure that changes to the employment tribunal system are notified to employers and employees, through the usual channels, after they have completed the relevant parliamentary processes. We will continue to work with stakeholders, including representative bodies, to support the circulation of relevant guidance and information.

Further Education: Higher Education

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has any plans to amend the process by which further education colleges validate their own higher education qualifications; and if he will make a statement.

John Hayes: Our plans for Higher Education are laid out in the White Paper, “Students at the Heart of the System”, published June 2011, and have been the subject of a technical consultation, “A New Regulatory Framework” published in August 2011. The proposals that we have set out therein include a review of the criteria and process by which higher and further education institutions apply for degree awarding powers, in order to create a simpler and more transparent system that allows for greater diversity of provision.
	The Government response to the White Paper and consultation responses will be published in early 2012.
	We have also committed to reviewing Foundation degree awarding powers in 2012 and will consider whether any changes are needed in the context of that review.

Higher Education: Admissions

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what procedure is in place for the approval of courses of higher education as designated courses.

David Willetts: holding answer 14 December 2011
	Eligible higher education courses provided by publicly funded institutions in the UK are automatically designated under the Education (Student Support) Regulations 2009, as amended. Eligible courses delivered at privately funded institutions may be specifically designated on a course by course basis for the purposes of student support at the discretion of the Secretary of State.
	Privately funded institutions that wish to have a course specifically designated apply to the Student Loans Company (SLC). Applications are assessed by the SLC against the course designation criteria in the Education (Student Support) Regulations which include course type, duration and mode of study. In addition all courses must be validated by a recognised UK awarding body such as a university. This provides quality assurance. The SLC then makes a recommendation to BIS on whether to designate courses or not.
	BIS undertakes further checks on organisations that are applying for specific designation for the first time. These include consideration of the management, governance, and financial stability of the organisation. If the Department is satisfied that the course meets the course eligibility criteria; and that the provider does not pose a risk to the use of public funds; the course may be specifically designated.

Higher Education: North East

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many UCAS applications had been made by residents in (a) Hartlepool constituency, (b) the Tees Valley and (c) the North East in the 2011-12 admissions cycle by 19 December 2011; and how many such applications had been submitted by 19 December 2010 in the 2010-11 admissions cycle.

David Willetts: The latest information is in the tables and has been provided by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
	UCAS have stated that year-on-year changes for all courses at this early stage in the cycle are often different from the position later in the cycle, and that it is too early in the cycle to extrapolate applicant volumes forward. The second table includes only those applicants who applied to courses with a deadline of 15 October. The main deadline for the majority of UCAS courses is 15 January.
	
		
			 All applicants to UCAS as at 19 December by parliamentary constituency/region 
			  Application cycle 
			 Area of domicile 2010-11 (1) 2011-12 (2) 
			 Hartlepool constituency 536 407 
			 The Tees Valley 3,205 2,772 
			 North East 11,284 10,103 
			 (1) Applicants applying to enter courses starting in autumn 2011, including those who applied for deferred entry in 2012. (2) Applicants applying to enter courses starting in autumn 2012, including those who applied for deferred entry in 2013. 
		
	
	
		
			 On time applicants to courses with an 15 October deadline (1)  by parliamentary constituency/region 
			  Application cycle 
			 Area of domicile 2010-11 (2) 2011-12 (3) 
			 Hartlepool constituency 35 31 
			 Tees Valley(4) 240 217 
		
	
	
		
			 North East 1,131 1,073 
			 (1) These are courses in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science, and courses at Oxbridge. (2) Applicants applying to enter courses starting in autumn 2011, including those who applied for deferred entry in 2012. (3) Applicants applying to enter courses starting in autumn 2012, including those who applied for deferred entry in 2013. (4) Revised figures. These correct the figures provided in PQs 84160 and 84356 (254 for 2010-11 and 227 for 2011-12). The figures for the Tees Valley include the constituencies of Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar, Stockton North, Stockton South, Darlington, and Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland.

Higher Education: North East

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many UCAS applications had been submitted by residents of (a) Stockton North constituency, (b) the borough of Stockton-on-Tees, (c) Tees Valley and (d) the north-east in the 2011-12 admissions cycle by 19 December 2011; and how many such applications had been submitted by 19 December 2010 in the 2010-11 admissions cycle.

David Willetts: The latest information is in the following tables and has been provided by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
	UCAS have stated that year-on-year changes for all courses at this early stage in the cycle are often different from the position later in the cycle, and that it is too early in the cycle to extrapolate applicant volumes forward. The second table includes only those applicants who applied to courses with a deadline of 15 October. The main deadline for the majority of UCAS courses is 15 January.
	
		
			 All applicants to UCAS as at 19 December by parliamentary constituency/region 
			  Application cycle 
			 Area of domicile 2010-11 (1) 2011-12 (2) 
			 Stockton North constituency 465 357 
			 The borough of Stockton-on-Tees 1,051 904 
			 Tees Valley 3,205 2,772 
			 North-east 11,284 10,103 
			 (1) Applicants applying to enter courses starting in autumn 2011, including those who applied for deferred entry in 2012. (2) Applicants applying to enter courses starting in autumn 2012, including those who applied for deferred entry in 2013. 
		
	
	
		
			 On time applicants to courses with an 15 October deadline (1)  by parliamentary constituency/region 
			  Application cycle 
			 Area of domicile 2010-11 (2) 2011-12 (3) 
			 Stockton North constituency 32 27 
			 The borough of Stockton-on-Tees 85 84 
			 Tees Valley(4) 240 217 
		
	
	
		
			 North-east 1,131 1,073 
			 (1) These are courses in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science, and courses at Oxbridge. (2) Applicants applying to enter courses starting in autumn 2011, including those who applied for deferred entry in 2012. (3) Applicants applying to enter courses starting in autumn 2012, including those who applied for deferred entry in 2013. (4) Revised figures. These correct the figures provided in PQ 84356 (254 for 2010-11 and 227 for 2011-120). The figures for the Tees Valley include the constituencies of Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar, Stockton North, Stockton South, Darlington, and Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland.

Insolvency

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when insolvency figures for 2010 will be published; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Davey: A statistical release showing insolvency figures for 2010 was published on 4 February 2011, and is available at:
	http://www.insolvencydirect.bis.gov.uk/otherinformation/statistics/201102/index.htm
	Time series data for all insolvency procedures, from 2001 to Q3 2011 are available at:
	http://www.insolvencydirect.bis.gov.uk/otherinformation/statistics/201111/alltables.xls

Minimum Wage: EU Countries

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what information his Department holds on the minimum wage in each EU country in (a) the local currency of that country and (b) pounds sterling in purchasing power parity terms.

Edward Davey: Information about minimum wage levels in other countries, including EU member states, is contained in Appendix 3 of the Low Pay Commission's 2011 report at:
	http://www.lowpay.gov.uk/

Music: Licensing Laws

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to reduce the administrative burden on small businesses associated with the requirement to hold a public performance licence for playing music.

Edward Davey: The Government are in regular contact with the music collecting societies and encourages them to license in a manner which reduces the administrative burden for small businesses. The functions of collecting societies are not regulated by the Government at present. However, the Government accepted a recommendation made by Professor Ian Hargreaves, in his independent review of Intellectual Property and Growth, that collecting societies be regulated through codes of conduct that enshrine minimum standards of fairness and which govern their relations with licensees. The Government are currently consulting on the implementation of this recommendation.

Music: Licensing Laws

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to inform small businesses of the need to obtain a public performance licence for playing music.

Edward Davey: The collection of royalties in respect of public performance licences is undertaken by collecting societies. These are private commercial organisations, and the primary responsibility for raising awareness of their activities rests with them. However, the Government aims assist by providing the relevant information through the Intellectual Property Office website and public information helpline, and by encouraging collecting societies to work with organisations which represent the interests of small businesses.

Qualifications

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he plans to take to assess the operation of organisations which deliver degree programmes overseas who are applying for degree awarding powers in the UK.

David Willetts: In the BIS Technical Consultation “A new fit-for-purpose regulatory framework for the higher education sector”(1) we sought views as to whether, when considering applications for degree awarding powers, the track record criterion could be applied more flexibly including, for example, when considering applications from organisations whose track record relates to teaching overseas. We are currently analysing the responses to the consultation and will publish the Government's response in due course.
	(1) The Technical Consultation closed on 27 October and can be found at “A new fit-for-purpose regulatory framework for the higher education sector”

Students: Loans

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many borrowers in the student loans scheme were (a) making repayments and (b) not earning enough to make repayments at the end of the 2010-11 financial year.

David Willetts: The repayment status of borrowers who take out Income Contingent Repayment (ICR) loans is published by the Student Loans Company (SLC) in the Official Statistics release 'Income Contingent Repayments by Repayment Cohort and Tax Year'.
	The most recent release was published in June 2011 and refers to financial year 2010-11:
	http://www.slc.co.uk/media/77960/SLCOSP022011.pdf
	The publication contains a breakdown of the repayment status of all ICR borrowers which can be found in table 1(i).

TICC Skill Centres: Redundancy

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 21 November 2011, Official Report, column 159W, and with reference to the answer of 29 October 2008, Official Report, column 1077W, on TICC Skill Centres: redundancy, whether any employees who were made redundant did not receive ex-gratia payments.

Edward Davey: It is now more than 20 years since the company went into liquidation and there are no known records of any redundant TICC Ltd employees who did not receive ex-gratia payments. A search of all the remaining documents to find any records of redundant TICC Ltd employees who did not receive ex-gratia payments could be undertaken only at disproportionate cost with no certainty of finding any such records (if any previously existed).
	I regret that there was an administrative error in my reply to the hon. Member's previous question of 21 November 2011, Official Report, column 159W. The correct answer should have read:
	“I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Jonathan Shaw) on 29 October 2008, Official Report, column 1077W and to the then Minister of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (Pat McFadden), on 16 October 2008, Official Report, column 1428W and 6 October 2008, Official Report, column 292W”.

HEALTH

Cancer: Health Services

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps his Department is taking to ensure that patients diagnosed with rare cancers are able to access written information about their illness;
	(2)  which primary care trusts provide written information to patients diagnosed with (a) small bowel cancer and (b) other rare cancers.

Paul Burstow: Providing accurate, tailored, timely and accessible information is key to improving patient experience. To ensure that all cancer patients, including those with rare cancers, are able to access written information about their illness, the National Cancer Action Team is working in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support and Cancer Research UK to support the use of information prescriptions (IPs) across the cancer care pathways. IPs can: help patients to understand their diagnosis and treatment; provide signposts to further sources of advice and support, such as local patient groups and self-management programmes; and provide information on access benefits and social care services.
	The National Cancer Patient Experience Survey, published in December 2010, recorded the responses of over 60,000 cancer patients across 158 trusts in England to a wide range of questions. These questions included those concerning the provision of written information.
	The survey grouped patients into one of 12 categories that covered the more common tumour sites. Patients whose cancer could not be classified within these, such as those who had a rarer cancer, were placed into a category designated as 'other'. While small bowel cancer was not included as a specific category, bowel cancer was. In the following table are the results for patients with bowel cancer, other cancers, and for all cancers.
	
		
			 Question: Given easy-to-understand written information about cancer diagnosis Percentage 
			 Bowel cancer 65 
			 Other cancers 41 
			 All cancers 66 
		
	
	In order to incentivise quality improvements in patient treatment, care and experience, all trusts that took part in the survey were sent a bespoke report showing their own results. Each report displayed the results for each question, in the survey benchmarked against other trusts. We are conducting a 2011 survey for publication in summer 2012 and will be looking closely to see where improvements have been made and where more work needs to be done. Both national and trust level reports can be found on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsStatistics/DH_122516

General Practitioners: Pharmacy

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he plans to have with the Dispensing Doctors' Association and General Practitioners Committee on the conclusions of the Cost of Service Inquiry for Dispensing Practices.

Simon Burns: Negotiations on general practitioners contractual matters, including payments to dispensing doctors relating to dispensing medicines to their patients, are ongoing. These negotiations are conducted between the General Practitioners Committee of the British Medical Association and NHS Employers on behalf of the national health service.

General Practitioners: Waiting Lists

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the average waiting time to see a GP (a) nationally and (b) in each region; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: The GP Patient Survey asks patients about their experiences of general practitioner (GP) services. The latest national and primary care trust (PCT) level results were published on 15 December 2011 (practice specific level data will not be available until June 2012 when full year results will be published). Nationally, results relating to GP appointments are as follows:
	88% of patients were able to get an appointment at their GP surgery last time they tried, although 12% of patients did have to call back nearer to the time;
	93% of patients say their appointments are convenient; and
	79% rate their experience of making an appointment as good.
	Results at PCT level can be found on the GP Patient Survey website:
	www.gp-patient.co.uk/results/

Health Services: Children

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to ensure that disabled children are able to access the health services that they require.

Anne Milton: The Government are committed to improving the lives of children and young people who are disabled and providing more support for their families and carers. This is reflected in this year's Operating Framework, where we identify disabled children as a specific group that the national health service should pay particular attention to when commissioning and providing services.
	Subject to the passage of the Health and Social Care Bill, the NHS and public health reforms will also provide a significant opportunity to improve the range and quality of services available to children and young people with disabilities and complex needs. The role of health and well-being boards, which will include local authority directors of children's services as a core member, will play a key role in examining the health needs of their local population, including children and young people, and designing a joint health and well-being strategy to meet those needs.
	This strategy will also be informed by local people—again including all children and young people—through the local HealthWatch. Again, HealthWatch will be a member of each health and well-being board, well positioned to ensure the strategy properly reflects the needs of the local population.
	Our reforms propose that clinical commissioning groups and local authorities' commissioning plans should be informed by the local joint health and well-being strategy—including services for children and young people.
	In addition, many of the indicators within the NHS and Public Health Outcomes Frameworks, either directly or indirectly require improvements in services for all children and young people.
	The Department of Health also worked closely with the Department for Education in the development of the Government's Green Paper ‘Support and Aspiration —A new approach to SEN’, published in March 2011. As part of testing the proposals in the Green Paper, 20 pathfinders covering 31 local authorities and primary care trust clusters have been appointed to test the ambition of the proposals. This includes testing various elements to improve the lives of children and young people with disabilities and their families, including a new single assessment process with a single education, health and care plan to support access to services. The option of a personal budget will help children, young people and their parents to have more choice and control over the care they receive. The pilots will run initially for 18 months.

Health Services: Coventry

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the costs of NHS reorganisation in Coventry South constituency.

Simon Burns: The impact assessment published alongside the Health and Social Care Bill in January and republished when, the Bill was introduced into the House of Lords in September, estimated the cost of national health service modernisation to be £1.2 billion to £1.3 billion. This upfront cost will be more than recouped as a result of associated cost-savings by the end of 2012-13. The gross savings are estimated at £4.5 billion and the net saving from modernisation will be £3.2 billion to £3.3. billion over the lifetime of this Parliament, and £1.5 billion per year from 2014-15 onwards.
	The Department has not estimated a regional breakdown of costs, as this would depend on local decisions.
	Copies of both impact assessments have been placed in the Library.

Health Services: EU Countries

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what payments have been made to other EU member states for the treatment of British citizens in each of the last three financial years;
	(2)  what payments have been received from other EU member states for the treatment by the NHS of EU citizens in each of the last three financial years.

Anne Milton: European economic area (EEA) medical cost payments to and from the United Kingdom are shown in the following table. The payments include health costs for temporary visitors using the European Health Insurance Card; workers posted to work in another member state by their employer; state funded treatment from one member state to another and health costs for state pensioners.
	The majority of the payments made by the UK relate to health costs for state pensioners; far more UK state pensioners retire abroad than pensioners from abroad retire here, this explains the large variation between what the UK pays out, and what it receives.
	
		
			 EEA health care payments to and from the United Kingdom 
			 £ 
			  Payments made by the United Kingdom Payments received by the United Kingdom 
			 2008-09 451,300,000 33,100,000 
			 2009-10 817,700,000 40,500,000 
			 2010-11 451,600,000 51,700,000 
			 Notes: 1. Claims are made and paid in the currency of the claiming member, state. Totals shown for payments to member states are £ equivalent totals based on exchange rates at the time of payment. 2. Claims are made in arrears, sometimes several years in arrears. Payments made in any one year will therefore relate to claims for previous years, and do not reflect the value of claims made or received in that year. Payment totals may vary significantly due to variations in the timing of payments made or received for different countries and different claims.

Influenza: Vaccination

Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the level of uptake of the influenza vaccination offered by the NHS since September 2011.

Anne Milton: The latest provisional influenza vaccine uptake figures published on 5 January 2011 show that for general practitioner patients:
	73% aged 65 years or over have had the vaccine;
	50% under the age of 65 years in at risk groups have had the vaccine; and
	26% of pregnant women have had the vaccine this year.
	At 30 November 2011, provisional influenza vaccine uptake in front-line health care workers was. 40%.

Plastic Surgery

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions (a) he and (b) officials in his Department have had with (i) Ministers and (ii) officials in the devolved Administrations on the treatment of women with breast implants manufactured by Poly Implant Prothèse.

Simon Burns: Ministers and officials have regular discussions about a range of issues with their counterparts in the devolved Administrations. In addition, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) routinely share with officials in the devolved Administrations all advice to Ministers on issues relating to the safety of medicines and medical devices. Recent discussions and communications have included those relating to breast implants manufactured by Poly Implant Prothèse.

DEFENCE

Accommodation

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 12 December 2011, Official Report, column 63WS, on Accommodation, how many (a) employees of his Department and (b) armed forces personnel will (i) have their wages reduced and (ii) be made redundant as a result of the new tri-service policy on the provision of domestic assistance and official hospitality.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 19 December 2011
	Service personnel who were previously assigned to an official service residence and who are no longer required in that role, will be reassigned to other duties. Civilian personnel hourly pay will not be reduced, but we are working closely with contractors to ensure, where we can, that when the number of hours worked in a residence has been reduced, individuals affected are able to undertake other domestic duties within the terms of the multi-activity contract. Any redundancies arising from this change would be a decision for the relevant contractor.

Aircraft Carriers

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the interoperability of the F35C's arresting hook system with aircraft carrier-based arresting gear; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Luff: Investigations have been and will continue to be made to ensure that the advanced arrestor gear (AAG) that is being installed on the aircraft carrier will be fully compatible with the Joint Combat Aircraft. The US has invested significant resource in AAG technology and is wholly committed to its successful implementation.

Armed Forces: Deployment

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armed forces personnel were deployed on ceremonial duties (a) in London and (b) around the world in 2011.

Andrew Robathan: During 2011 there were some 296 personnel involved on a daily basis on routine public duties primarily in London. In addition to this, there were a number of other ceremonial events throughout 2011 including the Queen's birthday parade, the royal wedding, the Cenotaph remembrance parade and other events across the UK and the world, which would have involved these and other armed forces personnel drawn from units across the three services.

Armed Forces: Education

Hazel Blears: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what the total cost to the public purse was of the Standard Learning Credit scheme in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09, (c) 2009-10 and (d) 2010-11;
	(2)  what the average proportion of course fees claimed by service personnel through the Standard Learning Credit scheme is;
	(3)  what the average contribution made by the Government towards the cost of course fees undertaken by service personnel through the Standard Learning Credit scheme is;
	(4)  how many service personnel used the Standard Learning Credit scheme in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09, (c) 2009-10 and (d) 2010-11.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence promotes lifelong learning among members of the armed forces; this is encouraged through the Learning Credits schemes. The Standard Learning Credit (SLC) scheme supplies financial support, throughout the Service person's career, for multiple, small-scale learning activities.
	SLC is a refund scheme and operates as an annualised allowance to the value of £175.00. Training by this funding stream is subject to a minimum 20% personal contribution and fees are refunded upon completion of learning.
	The following table lists the amount refunded and the number of service personnel who have accessed the scheme.
	
		
			 Financial year Total number of claimants Total refunded (£ million) 
			 2007-08 14,600 1.9 
			 2008-09 16,700 2.3 
			 2009-10 18,100 2.8 
			 2010-11 10,600 1.5 
		
	
	Records relating to this funding are retained within individual units. It is therefore, not possible to identify the value of average course fees and the Government's contribution without incurring disproportionate cost.

Armed Forces: Military Decorations

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what type of medals have been issued by the Medal Office in 2011; and at what cost such medals were awarded.

Andrew Robathan: The number and types of medals and clasps that have been issued by the Ministry of Defence Medal Office between 1 January and 21 December 2011 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Type of Medal/Clasp Medals Clasps 
			 Historic (First World War) 29 0 
			 Historic (Second World War) 8,600 256 
			 Post War Campaigns 2,223 131 
			 Current 17,990 182 
			 Conduct and Reserves 5,177 2,332 
			 Elizabeth Cross and Memorial Scroll 463 0 
			 Honours and Gallantry 271 0 
		
	
	The total gross costs incurred by the MOD Medal Office in 2011 is £2,505,657(1).
	(1) The figure provided includes all medal, bullion, and actual staff pay costs for the MOD Medal Office, and excludes any Head Office/Corporate overheads. It also includes £994,664 Net Additional Costs of Military Operations (NACMO) which in line with HM Treasury Guidance, can be claimed back from the Treasury Reserve.

Cyprus: Economic Situation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the net annual contribution to the economies of (a) Cyprus and (b) Germany of the basing of UK service personnel in those countries.

Nick Harvey: To inform the Basing Review, the Ministry of Defence recently estimated the annual contribution of UK service personnel based in Germany to Germany's Gross Domestic Product as at least £650 million.
	We have made no recent assessment of the net annual contribution to the economy of Cyprus through the basing of UK service personnel there.

Departmental Consultants

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on the employment of external consultants by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence's current policy on employing external consultants is contained in Notice 2010DIN08-23 of July 2010, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. This policy is in line with Cabinet Office guidance on the subject.

Departmental Consultants

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many consultants were employed by his Department in 2011; and what the cost to the public purse was.

Peter Luff: holding answer 10 January 2012
	For Management consultancy contracts (as defined by Cabinet Office), the Department specifies its requirement as an output to be achieved. It does not specify the number of consultants to be employed as this is a matter for the contractor.
	Between January and October 2011 the Ministry of Defence spent £15.9 million on Management consultancy. Data for November and December are not yet available. Total spend on Management consultancy in financial year (FY) 2010-11 was £26 million and in FY 2009-10, £79 million.

Departmental Procurement

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which services his Department has outsourced in each of the last five years.

Peter Luff: Information on outsourced services is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Information on the Ministry of Defence (MOD)'s Private Finance Initiative commitments is published in the MOD Annual Report, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House and are available on the MOD's website at the following address:
	http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/AnnualReports/

Departmental Secondment

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what secondments there have been to his Department from (a) industry and (b) the third sector since May 2010; what the (i) purpose and (ii) duration is of each secondment; and whether each secondment was to a policy development role.

Andrew Robathan: Inward secondments are covered by the general restrictions on external recruitment that apply across the civil service and are, therefore, only permissible where they are judged to be front-line or business critical. Secondments are also limited to a maximum of two years in duration. Since May 2010, 23 people have been seconded into the Ministry of Defence. A number of them have now completed their secondments. We do not hold information on the organisations from which people have been seconded centrally. The roles they have filled include Information Technology, Administrative Support, Nuclear Propulsion, Secretariat and Private Office, Legal, Electronics/Avionics, Project Management, Intelligence Analysis, Economics, Consultancy, Programme Management and Marine Engineering.

Departmental Temporary Employment

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many temporary staff have been recruited to his Department between September and November 2011.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence recruited 16 temporary staff between September and November 2011. Temporary contracts are used to reflect the finite nature of the requirement and include casual appointments as well as longer fixed terms. The appointments are usually for teaching grades, or in direct support of ongoing operations in Afghanistan, or to provide cover for service personnel deployed on current operations.
	Recruitment to the civil service is regulated by the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010. The Act established the Civil Service Commission with the role of regulating recruitment to the civil service, principally through their Recruitment Principles. All temporary recruitment to the Department has been in accordance with these Recruitment Principles. The Recruitment Principles are available at:
	www.civilservicecommission.org.uk

Departmental Written Questions

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 13 December 2011, Official Report, columns 752-53W, on departmental written questions, what the question number is of each question for written answer which was answered after 30 sitting days.

Andrew Robathan: The information requested is as follows:
	1059
	1310
	3250
	6310
	7430
	10108
	14476
	20822
	38982
	40140
	40141
	41024
	56077
	56175
	59547
	59615
	62989
	66612
	66614
	67102
	67103
	69757
	69758
	69774
	70329
	70331
	70333
	70336
	71290
	72965
	73164
	74751.

Documents: Data Protection

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what systems are in place in his Department to measure how many documents are protectively marked in any given month or year; if he will estimate the number of documents which were protectively marked under each level of classification in (a) 2010 and (b) 2011; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many documents were protectively marked in each year between 2005 and 2011; and what marking each such document received.

Andrew Robathan: There is no central register of all protectively marked documents, files or other assets. Accountable items are recorded and accounted for locally in accordance with government policy. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Documents: Data Protection

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what (a) training and (b) guidance is given to officials in his Department on the operation of his Department's protective marking schemes.

Andrew Robathan: Training and guidance on the operation of the government protective marking scheme is provided as part of information handling and security training and included in the information security policy and guidance published within the Department.

Ex-servicemen

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department has taken to support retired armed forces personnel through the process of resettlement.

Andrew Robathan: All service leavers are entitled to some form of resettlement advice. This includes financial related briefings covering budget and debt management, with further in-depth advice available if desired. Specialist housing advice, and advice on the importance of seeking medical help, including the ability to access mental health services should they feel it necessary.
	Further support is available to eligible personnel through the Career Transition Partnership (a partnership between the Ministry of Defence and Right Management) through training courses; career transition workshops; employment and future career advice; assistance with CV writing and job preparation; vocational training; and a job-search/recruitment facility. In addition lifetime job finding support is available from the Officers' Association or the Regular Forces Employment Association.

Ex-servicemen: Employment

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 12 December 2011, Official Report, column 472W, on ex-servicemen: employment, how many individuals constitute the five per cent. of Career Transition Partnership clients who have not secured employment within six months of leaving.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 10 January 2012
	Some 800 service leavers, who were clients of the Career Transition Partnership, were not in employment within six months of leaving the armed forces. However, we do not collect information on the reasons for this situation, and the figures may include those who have retired, are taking a career break, have re-entered education, or are travelling.

HMS Queen Elizabeth

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects sea trials for HMS Queen Elizabeth to commence; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Luff: The contractor-based sea trials programme will be reviewed along with the in service dates for both carriers, as part of our conversion investigations which are due to conclude at the end of this year.

Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has set a delivery timetable for the F35C Joint Strike Fighter.

Peter Luff: As set out in the Strategic Defence and Security Review, we continue to plan on delivery of Joint Combat Aircraft capability coherently with the Carrier from 2020. However, we will not set a firm in service date until after our next Main Gate decision in 2013.

MOD Abbey Wood

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what permission requirements there are for each grade of staff working at MOD Abbey Wood who wish to move to work in the private defence sector; what mechanism exists to monitor the granting of such permissions; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: Former Ministry of Defence (MOD) civil servants at all levels and members of the armed forces are subject to rules on accepting outside appointments or employment. These apply for two years after leaving Crown service as set out in the Government's Business Appointment Rules. Applications from senior MOD civil servants or members of the armed forces (senior civil service grade three and above and military equivalent) are referred to the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, who act independently to give advice to the Prime Minister regarding these applications. Decisions on all other applications are considered and approved internally based on the grade/rank in line with above governing bodies.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Candidates: Leave

Jo Swinson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his policy is on recommendation 37 of the Final Report of the Speaker's Conference on Parliamentary Representation that the Government should bring forward legislative proposals to give approved prospective parliamentary candidates who are employees the right to request unpaid leave from the dissolution of Parliament until election day; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Harper: The Government are extending the right to request flexible working, (currently available to parents and carers), to all employees with 26 weeks qualifying service, regardless of the reasons, with the onus on both the employer and employee to reach an arrangement that works for both. Such arrangements would be beneficial to election candidates.

House of Lords: Reform

John Mann: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister with reference to his proposals for reform of the House of Lords, what assessment he has made of the regional balance of existing members of the House of Lords.

Mark Harper: A disproportionate number of current members of the House of Lords reside in London and the south-east with other regions, such as the east midlands and the north-west, being underrepresented. The Government propose an 80% or 100% elected reformed House of Lords based on a system of proportional representation using large electoral districts. The weight of a vote would be broadly equal for voters across the United Kingdom.

House of Lords: Reform

John Mann: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister with reference to his proposals for reform of the House of Lords, what assessment he has made of the reliability of paternity claims in determining rights to hereditary peerages.

Mark Harper: The Government have made no such assessment. There are established procedures already in place for determining succession to hereditary peerages. Under the Government's proposals, there will be no reserved places for hereditary peers in a reformed House of Lords.

Members: Correspondence

John Baron: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he plans to respond to the letters from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay of (a) 20 September and (b) 10 November 2011 regarding a constituent, Ms T Sparrow.

Nicholas Clegg: My office does not hold a record of receiving the hon. Member's original correspondence. My office received a copy of the correspondence from the hon. Member today and a response will be sent as soon as possible.

CABINET OFFICE

Public Sector: Job Satisfaction

Jo Swinson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps his Department is taking to improve wellbeing and morale among public sector workers.

Francis Maude: Every employer is responsible for the morale and wellbeing of their own staff, and each faces their own unique circumstances and challenges to deliver this. The Cabinet Office supports a collaborative approach within the civil service to improving morale and wellbeing. We facilitate and support a network for Government Departments and their agencies to promote best practice and share learning and different approaches to improving engagement within organisations. Further information is available on the civil service website at:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/improving/employee-engagement-in-the-civil-service
	This is complemented by our approach to measuring the wellbeing of civil servants, which was piloted in the Civil Service People Survey this year. While the survey data we have is experimental at the moment, we believe that measurement should shed new light on barriers and opportunities to maintaining and improving workforce wellbeing during challenging times.

Public Sector: Procurement

Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans he has to develop a mechanism to enable members of the public to (a) raise concerns about public service provision and (b) hold providers of public services to account.

Oliver Letwin: The Open Public Services White Paper published last July outlined the Government's plans for modernising public services based on five principles, including accountability. There are a number of reforms to ensure that public services are accountable to citizens, both directly and through elected representatives. Choice, transparency and a “voice” can also help to improve accountability.
	Departments are responsible for implementing the Open Public Services agenda. This includes ensuring that there are clear and accessible routes for individuals to raise concerns about the services which they are responsible for, and that effective mechanisms for holding providers to account are embedded in their reform programmes.
	For example, in response to the NHS Future Forum's report, the Government have made changes to the Health and Social Care Bill to strengthen accountability in the NHS, including clarifying overall ministerial responsibility for the NHS and improving governance arrangements for clinical commissioning groups.
	We are also working with other Departments to explore new ideas for strengthening means of redress for service users, such as exploring whether the ombudsman can play a greater role in providing redress if choice is not available or where standards are not good enough.
	We will be publishing an update on progress on the Open Public Services agenda soon. This will include a description of the measures taken to improve the accountability of public services across the board.

EDUCATION

Departmental Manpower

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many people were working in his Department on (a) 11 May 2010 and (b) 8 December 2011.

Tim Loughton: Information on the number of staff working in the Department on the exact dates requested is not held centrally.
	
		
			 Number of staff employed by the Department at the nearest available dates 
			  Headcount Full-time equivalent 
			  Education family (1) Department Education family (1) Department 
			 30 March 2010 9,710 2,691 9,258 2,571 
			 30 November 2011 7,949 2,752 7,466 2,633 
			 (1) Includes figure for Department 
		
	
	The latest published information for the Education Family work force (the Department and its arm’s length bodies) is now available on the Department's website:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/aboutdfe/departmentalinformation/transparency/a00199711/monthly-workforce-management-information-2011

Email

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education with reference to the Information Commissioner's guidance on official information held in private email accounts, what steps he is taking to ensure (a) information concerning the Building Schools for the Future Programme in Sandwell and (b) other data from the private email accounts of former employees of his Department is retained.

Tim Loughton: holding answer 10 January 2012
	The Department is considering the new guidance and the Commissioner's report into the Department's practices, policies and procedures provided on the same day. Once consideration is complete officials will take forward, as appropriate, the recommendations made.

Pupils: Assessments

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the total number of key stage four qualifications accredited as GCSE or equivalent standard was for each academic year from 1999-2000 to date.

Nick Gibb: This is a matter for the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation. Glenys Stacey, its chief executive, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply has been placed in the House Libraries.
	Letter from Glenys Stacey, dated 11 January 2012
	I am responding to your parliamentary question with regard to the qualifications we accredit.
	I would like to bring your attention to two things to assist your understanding of the limits of the information we have provided.
	Firstly, we only have access to information collected since 2007. We have no knowledge that data was collected in the years before Ofqual’s existence. Secondly, to best answer your question, we have interpreted the concept of equivalence. That is, we have included accredited GCSEs and qualifications that are Level 1_2 or Level 2. This is the most sensible interpretation that we can use. In practice, equivalence is a little more exacting and refers to grades as well as qualifications.
	You ask for information by academic year and it may that you are particularly interested in school qualifications. I should say that we don't have information here to show which of these qualifications are used in schools, but many of them won't be, because they are designed for the workplace.
	The table shows the number of qualifications on the Register that are offered in England by awarding organisations and are available for pre-16 learning. This includes GCSEs and qualifications at Level 1_2 or Level 2 for Academic Years 2007/2008 to 2010/2011.
	I am afraid we have not been able to fully answer your question. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you need to drill down into the information further and we will endeavour to assist you.
	
		
			   Academic year 
			 Type Level 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 
			 Basic Skills Level 2 72 72 72 72 
			 English Other Languages Level 2 36 36 39 39 
			 Free Standing Mathematics Level 2 24 24 24 24 
			 Qualification      
			 Functional Skills NQF Level 2 0 0 3 123 
		
	
	
		
			 Functional Skills QCF Level 2 93 93 99 0 
			 General Certificate Secondary Education Level 1_2 1,064 1,073 (1)1,967 (1)1,379 
			 General NVQ Level 2 0 0 0 0 
			 Key Skills Level 2 264 264 264 270 
			 NVQ Level 2 204 222 168 129 
			 Occupational Qualification Level 2 3 3 3 0 
			 Other General Qualification Level 1_2 0 0 38 52 
			  Level 2 414 459 456 426 
			 Principal Learning Level 2 0 39 90 138 
			 Project Level 2 6 12 18 18 
			 QCF Qualification Level 2 72 978 1,958 3,640 
			 Vocational Qualification Level 2 1119 1,182 1,092 650 
			 Totals  3,371 4,457 4,324 5,581 
			 (1) There are duplicate GCSE qualifications in place during the period in which the specifications were revised. Source: National Register of Qualifications

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Co-operatives

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps (a) his Department and (b) those bodies for which his Department is responsible are taking to mark UN Year of the Co-operative 2012; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: DFID continues to engage with co-operative organisations in various ways—as financial intermediaries, in agriculture and as members of the private sector. We do not have a separate strategy for working with co-operative organisations. DFID will work closely with the Cabinet Office, the Mutuals Taskforce and with Co-operatives UK to develop and take full advantage of opportunities to celebrate the achievements of co-operative organisations during the United Nations International Year of Co-operatives.

Developing Countries: Agriculture

Penny Mordaunt: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department (a) has taken and (b) plans to take to alleviate hunger and famine through investment in agriculture in the developing world.

Stephen O'Brien: In 2009, the UK agreed to contribute £1.1 billion between 2009 and 2012 in support of the Aquila Food Security Initiative (AFSI), with prioritised investment in agriculture to promote food and nutrition security. After two years we have disbursed over 80% of our AFSI commitment. As an example, the Department for International Development is co-funding a programme on land tenure reform in Rwanda which will result in 8 million smallholder farmers receiving land titles. The title document gives farmers a greater sense of ownership of their land which results in increased investment in productive capacity. DFID also supports the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme to ensure that support for country-led agricultural development plans is co-ordinated effectively.
	DFID funding for agricultural research has increased from £35.6 million in 2005-06 to £70 million in 2010-11. DFID has, for example, co-funded GALVmed (Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines) to make the vaccine for East Coast Fever (ECF) more accessible and affordable to livestock keepers. ECF is a tick-transmitted disease that threatens more than 25 million cattle across eastern and southern Africa each year.

Developing Countries: Agriculture

Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what policies his Department has implemented to support agricultural production in developing countries since his appointment.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) Aid Reviews published in March 2011 set out the Department's priorities and expected results over the coming three years. Over the next three years DFID will provide support to agriculture, food security and nutrition in developing countries in order to stop 20 million more children going hungry and to ensure another 4 million people have enough food throughout the year.
	We will achieve these results through a range of policies and programmes. DFID funding for agricultural research has increased from £35.6 million in 2005-06 to just under £70 million in 2010-11. DFID has, for example, co-funded the Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines to make the vaccine for East Coast Fever (ECF), a serious tick-transmitted disease of cattle in eastern and southern Africa, more accessible and affordable to livestock keepers. DFID also supports the work of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to address global food security and raise the incomes of poor rural men and women through investments in agriculture. Recognising the important role the private sector plays in promoting agricultural growth, DFID is promoting public-private partnerships in agriculture in developing countries to mobilise investments that benefit smallholder farmers. For example, in Mozambique, DFID is supporting the Beira Agricultural Growth Corridor, in order to create new rural jobs and raise smallholder farm incomes.

Developing Countries: Diarrhoea

David Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to reduce the rate of mortality from diarrhoea in the developing world.

Stephen O'Brien: The UK is at the forefront of international efforts to help prevent deaths from diarrhoea, which is the second leading cause of death for children under five globally. Hygiene promotion is the most cost effective intervention for controlling endemic diarrhoea. In the Department for International Development's (DFID's) publication: “UK Aid: Changing lives, delivering results”, the UK agreed to give 15 million people access to clean drinking water, improve access to sanitation for 25 million people, improve hygiene for 15 million people.
	The UK's funding to the GAVI Alliance (formerly the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisations) will vaccinate 80 million children and save 1.4 million lives during 2011 to 2015. This will enable the GAVI Alliance to roll out the rotavirus vaccine, (rotavirus is the most common cause of severe diarrhoea in young children worldwide) vaccinating 50 million children in more than 30 of the world's poorest countries. In addition we are helping to develop vaccines against bacteria that cause diarrhoea.

International Citizen Service

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what consultation he undertook prior to establishing the International Citizen Service.

Andrew Mitchell: The International Citizen Service (ICS) has been designed in two phases: a pilot phase and a phase of full implementation. Consultations on the design of the pilot phase were held with a range of volunteering organisations. The pilot phase has been used to provide evidence for the design of the full implementation. Consultations to help design the full programme have been conducted in three ways:
	(1) 5 early engagement meetings were held at DFID. These were open to all and were attended by stakeholders from academia, volunteering organisations and research groups, details available at
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/ics
	(2) A mid term evaluation of the pilot phase of the ICS was conducted between June and October 2011. The evaluation exercise collected views from volunteers, the communities where volunteers have been active, and from the organisations sending young people overseas. A copy is available at
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/ics
	(3) DFID conducted consultations directly with stakeholders from Government Departments and volunteering agencies.

International Citizen Service

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what criteria his Department will apply when awarding the contract to administer the International Citizen Service.

Andrew Mitchell: The high level award criteria for the International Citizen Service (ICS) programme were published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) advert in line with the Public Contracts Regulations. These were:
	
		
			  Weighting 
			 Methodology 45 
			 Quality of personnel 30 
			 Commercial proposal 25 
		
	
	The Invitation to Tender (ITT) pack contains a breakdown of the award criteria into the relevant sub-criteria and weightings. The Invitation to Tender pack will be published in line with the Government's Transparency Agenda when the ITT deadline has passed.

International Citizen Service

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what process his Department will follow when awarding the contract to administer the International Citizen Service.

Andrew Mitchell: The International Citizen Service (ICS) is being tendered through an open procurement process under the European Union Restricted Procedure and in line with the Public Contracts Regulations 2006.

Somalia: International Co-operation

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his Department's objectives are for the International Conference on Somalia in London on 23 February 2012.

Andrew Mitchell: The Government's overall objective for the London Conference on Somalia is to deliver a new, international approach to Somalia. The objectives of the Department for International Development (DFID), working closely with other Government Departments and international partners, are to contribute to achieving concrete progress on the actions which will help create the stability required for development and poverty reduction, and prevent a recurrence of humanitarian crisis in Somalia.
	The Government hopes that the Conference will agree practical measures to: confront immediate threats from terrorism and piracy; support peace-keeping activity; broaden responsibility for a peaceful political settlement; promote stability at the sub-national level; renew commitment to tackle Somalia's humanitarian crisis, and improve international co-ordination.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Coal Health Compensation Scheme

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  how much has been paid in compensation under the Coal Health Compensation Scheme for cases of (a) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and (b) vibration white finger in each parliamentary constituency;
	(2)  how many people have received compensation under the Coal Health Compensation scheme for (a) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and (b) vibration white finger in each parliamentary constituency.

Charles Hendry: Tables showing the amount of compensation paid to former miners and their families for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Vibration White Finger under the Coal Health Compensation Schemes and the number of claims settled by way of payment broken down by constituencies will be made available in the Libraries of the House.
	These figures were as at 19 June 2011. As both Schemes are now concluded no further updates will be available.

Coal Health Compensation Scheme

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much has been paid from the Coal Health Compensation scheme to solicitors in respect of claims for (a) vibration white finger and (b) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; and to which solicitor each such payment was made.

Charles Hendry: Tables showing the amount paid to each solicitors for handling claims for Vibration White Finger and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease under the Coal Health Compensation Scheme will be made available in the Libraries of the House.
	These figures were as at 19 June 2011. As both Schemes are now concluded no further updates will be available.

Departmental Manpower

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many speechwriters his Department employs at each pay grade.

Gregory Barker: The Department currently has one person employed at Grade 7 as a speechwriter.

Departmental Meetings

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his Department's policy is on record keeping for official meetings.

Gregory Barker: DECC's policy on record keeping is set in accordance with standards and guidelines set out by the National Archives.
	All information which is of corporate value to DECC must be saved into the Department's electronic records management system. This includes records of official meetings which are kept for accountability and audit purposes, and for other ongoing business needs.
	These records will be kept for a minimum period of eight years; after this they will be reviewed. Minutes which are no longer required for legal, accountability of historical purposes will then be destroyed. The remainder will either be transferred to the National Archives or held for as long as required and then destroyed.

Departmental Work Experience

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what guidelines his Department issues to its non-departmental public bodies on the employment of unpaid interns.

Gregory Barker: DECC has not issued any guidelines to its non-departmental public bodies on the employment of unpaid interns as this information was centrally disseminated to Departments and non-departmental public bodies following the Government's Social Mobility Strategy announcement in April 2011.

Energy: Meters

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he plans to publish communications and security interface standards for smart meters to enable manufacturers to develop equipment that will inter-operate with smart meters.

Charles Hendry: Yes. We anticipate that specifications in these areas will be published by the end of the year.

Energy: Meters

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the number of households that have smart meters.

Charles Hendry: Drawing on information provided by the large energy suppliers, at the end of 2011 approximately 540,000 meters with some aspects of smart functionality were installed in around 350,000 homes across Great Britain. A number of the meters installed were duel fuel resulting in the total number of meters installed being higher than the number of households affected.

Energy: Prices

David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the effect of the electricity market review on consumer energy bills in 2025 assuming fossil fuel prices (a) do not rise and (b) rise by 30 per cent.

Charles Hendry: DECC regularly publishes energy projections which present assumptions for future fossil fuel prices (coal, oil and gas) under a range of scenarios but not including these specific criteria. The analysis contained in section 5 of the impact assessment (IA) accompanying the electricity market reform White Paper is based on DECC's 2010 updated energy projections and provides details on the impact of electricity market reform policies on consumers under the range of DECC fossil fuel price assumptions.
	The EMR White Paper IA can be found at the following weblink:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/policy-legislation/EMR/2180-emr-impact-assessment.pdf

Energy: Prices

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the evidential basis is for his Department's estimate that the overall average household energy bill in 2020 would be 7% lower without the energy and climate policies the Government is pursuing.

Charles Hendry: On 23 November 2011, alongside the Annual Energy Statement, DECC published an assessment of the impact of climate change and energy polices on energy prices and bills.
	The headline message for the household sector was that the average household energy bill in 2020 was estimated to be around 7% lower than it would have been in the same year if energy and climate change policies were never introduced. This is because the effects of government policies which help households to save energy will more than offset the necessary cost of investing in new capacity and greater efficiency.
	The report details the main assumptions and methodology used to carry out the analysis and is available online at:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/meeting_energy/aes/impacts/impacts.aspx
	Annex B details the policies which were used in the assessment and links to the relevant impact assessments which set out the evidence base which informed the policy costs and savings used.

Natural Gas: Prices

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what information his Department holds on the average cost of gas on the international wholesale market in each year since 2000.

Charles Hendry: The Department monitors daily wholesale gas prices on an ongoing basis. Global gas markets are not fully integrated and therefore a number of different regional spot markets exist. The Department monitors key spot markets including the UK National Balancing Point (NBP), US Henry Hub (HH) , Dutch Title Transfer Facility (TTF) and the Zeebrugge Hub in Belgium.
	The Department's wholesale gas price data comes from a private data provider on a daily basis. A summary of annual average wholesale prices derived from the daily prices is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 A verage annual wholesale gas  prices 2000-11 
			 Pence per therm NBP ZEE TTF (1) HH 
			 2000 17 19 — 29 
			 2001 22 22 — 27 
			 2002 16 17 — 22 
			 2003 20 21 22 34 
			 2004 24 24 23 32 
			 2005 42 40 33 49 
			 2006 40 43 40 37 
			 2007 30 30 30 35 
			 2008 58 59 58 47 
			 2009 31 31 31 25 
			 2010 42 43 43 28 
			 2011 56 57 57 25 
			 (1) Data for TTF prices is available from 21 January 2003 onwards. Source: UCIS Heren.

Offshore Industry

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether the review of the oil and gas regulatory regime considered a moratorium on offshore deepwater drilling activities in the North sea.

Charles Hendry: The review concluded that there were a great many positives in the UK offshore regulatory regime including the goal-setting safety regime, rigorously enforced environmental standards and a sophisticated emergency response framework. Based on these assessments, it concluded that there was not any reason for a moratorium on drilling on the UK continental shelf.

Renewable Energy

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many tonnes of carbon dioxide were displaced by renewable electricity generation in (a) the UK, (b) England, (c) Scotland and (d) Wales in (i) 2007, (ii) 2008, (iii) 2009, (iv) 2010 and (v) 2011.

Charles Hendry: The following table shows the amount of carbon dioxide displaced by renewable electricity generation in England, Scotland, Wales and the UK in 2007 to 2010.
	
		
			 CO 2  displaced by electricity generated from renewable energy projects 
			 Thousand tonnes 
			  England Scotland Wales UK 
			 2007 6,021 5,157 859 12,302 
			 2008 6,259 5,453 987 13,084 
			 2009 7,099 6,364 954 14,935 
			 2010 8,124 5,611 956 15,175 
		
	
	These figures were calculated using the total amount of electricity generated by renewable projects in each of the year and country combinations multiplied by an estimate of the amount of carbon dioxide emissions per GWh of electricity supplied for a combination of fossil fuels (which is based on the known fossil fuel mix for electricity generation in the UK in each year).
	Figures for 2011 have not been provided as the underlying electricity generation data from renewable projects is not yet available. Provisional data for 2011 will be available on 29 March 2012 and final data by 27 September 2012.

Renewable Energy

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his policy is on providing priority grid access and dispatch for electricity from renewable energy.

Charles Hendry: Article 16 of the 2009 renewable energy directive requires that member states provide either priority or guaranteed access to the grid for connected generators of electricity from renewable energy sources, and priority dispatch for electricity from renewable energy sources, subject to requirements relating to the maintenance of the reliability and safety of the grid.
	We provide guaranteed access in Great Britain through a market-based approach for all generators connected to the grid, including renewables. As regards priority dispatch, we also have a market-based approach where dispatch depends on the generator meeting a market price. Where it is necessary to prevent access on occasion in order to ensure the reliability and safety of the grid system, our market arrangements determine which generator reduces its output, and these generators are compensated. Our market-based arrangements tend to promote output from renewable generation as it will usually be more cost-effective for conventional generation to reduce its output given that it incurs fuel costs when running.

Renewable Energy: Feed-in Tariffs

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if his Department will continue to pay the feed-in tariff at the original rate until legal proceedings are concluded.

Gregory Barker: The proposals within the Phase I consultation would not lead to a change in tariff until 1 April 2012. On this date, all sites with an eligibility date on or after the reference date would see their tariff reduce. Following conclusion of the appeal process, which we expect next week, we will make an announcement about the future of the FITs scheme, including final proposals on PV and consultation proposals on non-PV tariffs.
	Regardless of the outcome of the appeal, the overall situation with the feed-in tariffs scheme remains the same—the current high tariffs for solar PV are not sustainable and changes need to be made in order to protect the budget which is funded by consumers through their energy bills.

Renewable Energy: Feed-in Tariffs

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the costs incurred by his Department in lodging an appeal in respect of the feed-in tariff.

Gregory Barker: I estimate that the Government have incurred costs of approximately £58,000 to date. In the event that we are successful on appeal we would expect to recover all, or a substantial proportion, of our costs.

Solar Power: Feed-in Tariffs

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  pursuant to his contribution of 23 November 2011, Official Report, column 372, on solar power: feed-in tariff, what the basis was for his statement that the cost of feed-in tariffs to an average consumer could be £80;
	(2)  how many solar installations would be required to add (a) £26 and (b) £80 to average consumer bills by 2020.

Gregory Barker: In addition to the impact assessment published alongside the FITs consultation, a fuller explanation was provided to the joint Energy and Climate Change Select Committee and Environmental Audit Committee hearing on 29 November 2011 and in written evidence to their inquiry in to solar power feed-in tariffs. The transcript and written evidence are available at:
	http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/environmental-audit-committee/inquiries/parliament-2010/solar-power-feed-in-tariffs/

Solar Power: Feed-in Tariffs

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will estimate the potential effect on the average annual household energy bill of maintaining the solar PV feed-in tariff at its current rates until 1 April 2012.

Gregory Barker: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today to the right hon. Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint) to questions 83926 and 83927.

Solar Power: Feed-in Tariffs

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many solar photovoltaic installations qualifying for the feed-in tariff scheme there were between 31 October 2011 and 12 December 2011.

Gregory Barker: The latest monthly published statistics show that between April 2010 and October 2011, the number of solar PV installations (of sub 50kW capacity) on the Microgeneration Certificate Scheme database (MCS) was 127,474. Of these, 70% (89,297) have been confirmed on Ofgem's central FiT register (CFR).
	In addition, there were 3,534 solar PV confirmed installations on the CFR but not registered on the MCS database at the end of December 2011. Of these, 316 installations were confirmed after 31 October 2011. These installations are not registered on the MCS database because the installation capacity is greater than 50kW, so are additional to the MCS numbers.
	The number of solar PV installations registered on the MCS database between 31 October 2011 and 12 December 2011 was 102,183.

Warm Home Discount Scheme

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether the Independent Review of Fuel Poverty considered an extension of the Warm Homes Discount data-sharing scheme.

Gregory Barker: Professor Hills published his interim report in October 2011. He is due to present his final report to Government in early 2012. It is expected that as well as a final recommendation on measurement of fuel poverty this final report will include some discussions on the implications for policy-making and delivery of support. I will carry out an assessment of Professor Hills' recommendations and their policy implications once his final report is available.

Wind Power

David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what funding his Department will provide for connecting offshore wind farms to the national grid in the remainder of the comprehensive spending review period.

Charles Hendry: The investment required for electricity transmission infrastructure to connect offshore wind farms to the National Electricity Transmission System is made by the private sector. The investment is made either by an Offshore Transmission Owner (OFTO) appointed by Ofgem on the basis of a competitive tender process, or by the wind farm developer where it chooses to construct the assets itself before transferring them to the OFTO for operation. The Department does not therefore, plan to provide any funding towards the construction of offshore electricity transmission assets over the remainder of the comprehensive spending review period.

Wind Power

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department has taken to evaluate the environmental impact of wind farms which become derelict in the future.

Charles Hendry: There are mechanisms in place to ensure that wind farms onshore and offshore do not become derelict but are already decommissioned by the developers of those projects when they cease operating. Offshore, there is a statutory decommissioning scheme which allows the Secretary of State to compel wind farm developers to submit costed programmes for the removal of their projects with funds set aside for that purpose: onshore, developers will work with the relevant local planning authorities to make the necessary arrangements for the removal of wind farms or individual turbines and for the land to be restored to an acceptable condition, the costs of which are borne by the developer.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Cooperatives

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps (a) his Department and (b) those bodies for which his Department is responsible are taking to mark UN Year of the Co-operative 2012; and if he will make a statement.

Henry Bellingham: Government Departments are working with the Cabinet Office (Mutuals Taskforce) to take advantage of opportunities to celebrate the achievements of co-operatives during the UN International Year. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has no current plans to mark the UN Year of the Co-operative 2012.

South America: Diplomatic Service

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which (a) embassies and (b) other diplomatic posts in South America have been closed in each of the last three years.

Jeremy Browne: None.